Some events in the future
are easy to predict.
Water will become
more valuable,
for example.
The number of disabled people
will increase,
as another example.
But the average person
doesn’t want to know
the future,
especially if it is bad
and
especially if they have
to change
to avoid that bad.
You and I
and other leaders
are different.
We’re building businesses
for the future.
We increase our probability
of success
if we know what that future
looks like.
Plan for the future.
The trend might not always
be positive
but knowing that trend
IS our friend.
I see the downward trajectory
of my romance novel sales.
That is negative.
But knowing that trend
means I can prepare for the future.
It means I can wrap up
that business well.
As another example,
I see the downward trajectory
of rain and snow
in my area
and across the world.
That’s negative
for all of us.
But knowing that trend
means I can prepare for the future.
It means I can install solar power
to deal with
the decrease in
hydro-sourced electricity.
Knowing trends
will always benefit you.
Even or ESPECIALLY
if that trend is negative.
One of my buddies
recently told me
she doesn’t pay attention
to what was happening
in the rest of the world.
She is an employee
with set assigned tasks
and very few decisions to make.
She can survive
at her job
without knowing trends
or other changes.
We’re business builders.
We can’t be as unaware.
To increase the likelihood
of our businesses succeeding,
we have to pay attention
to what is happening
all around us.
We need to know
if our customers are dealing
with a recession,
for example,
or if the people making
our products
are currently under water
…literally.
We need to know
if a tax ruling
coming into effect
in January
will impact us.
We need to know
if our customers
are moving from Facebook
to TikTok.
We have to pay attention.
That’s part of our job.