Daily Inspiration: “There are two types of people when it comes to the future. Those who see the potential in our progress – and those who demand perfection in the voyage!”

“There are two types of people when it comes to the future. Those who see the potential in our progress – and those who demand perfection in the voyage!” – Futurist Jim Carroll

One of the most challenging issues with the future is that people expect that as it arrives, it will actually fully match their expectations.

They seem to demand perfection with our progress.

A great example comes with the questions that I will often hear during a Q&A session with my audience. I’ve just used the story of the Jetsons to outline the speed with which the future is coming at us – and how magical it can be as we arrive there!

And inevitably, someone will take the mic and complain: “It’s 2019 already so where are all the Jetsons flying cars?”

People seem to demand and desire a future that is perfect upon its arrival. They seem to be of a view that it all needs to happen all at once.
The thing is, the future doesn’t work like that: progress, not perfection, is its guiding rule.
The future and the trends that drive it forward occurs in fits and starts. There are dribs of progress and drabs of setbacks. One step forward and two steps back.

Discoveries that are mind bending in their scope – and staggering implementation challenges that hold it back. The future arrives, but eventually.

Those who are truly aligned to the future recognize this reality, and know that their innovation and transformation efforts do not occur in a linear line, but one that is jagged.

The other type of individual doesn’t have that view. They seem to demand perfection each and every step of the way, and view any setback as a massive failure, and worse, something that indicates that the very idea behind the opportunity is invalid.

That is a view that is, quite simply, wrong.

The message for you? Keep going forward, with the motivation that comes from your goal in mind. Don’t expect the road to be smooth – the journey will be incredibly difficult, rocky, full of emotional ups and downs.

That’s all part of the bargain that you make in your determination to get to the future!