Author: Scott McKain
Something about being Attracted to the PAST seems much more romantic than the future so Are you more attracted to the PAST or the FUTURE?. Maybe it’s because the past is a time we can look back on with nostalgia, or perhaps it’s because the future is an unknown quantity. Whatever the reason, it seems […]
Something about being Attracted to the PAST seems much more romantic than the future so Are you more attracted to the PAST or the FUTURE?. Maybe it’s because the past is a time we can look back on with nostalgia, or perhaps it’s because the future is an unknown quantity. Whatever the reason, it seems like many people are more interested in living in the past than they are in living in the future.
In an article for the New York Times, editorial assistant Cornelia Channing writes, “Recently, I was at dinner with some friends and the conversation turned to time travel. It was pretty standard fare: If you could transport yourself to any period in history — past or future — where and when would you go? The answers included Paris in the 1920s, Ancient Egypt, Mozart’s Vienna, Mesopotamia.”
However, Channing continues, she observed something remarkable. “None of us, I noticed, wanted to visit the future. This is an admittedly pessimistic view — typical, perhaps, of my generation — but not an unreasonable one. We’re living at an extraordinarily precarious moment in human history, one that will be defined by how we respond — or fail to respond — to some rather urgent existential threats.”
But what if we could time travel? Would you still be more attracted to the past, or would you be more interested in living in the future?
Think about it this way: if you could time travel in your own life, would you rather go back and experience wonderful moments again — perhaps altering some of the choices you’ve made?
Or would you instead go forward and see the outcomes of actions you have yet to undertake?
Under the direction of my friend Dr. Nido Qubein, President of High Point University, I participated in a “time travel” experience this past weekend. He implored each member of our group to seriously consider our current positioning in the marketplace. Next, he vividly focused on what our desired positioning would be in the future. He directed us to “time travel,” if you will, into a time where we were observing the results of actions not yet taken.
I worry a bit about the “self-fulfilling prophecy” aspect that goes unmentioned in Ms. Channing’s article. If we are projecting a future that is “doomed,” so to speak, do we then go about creating it to adhere to our expectations because we see no other way? Could the same be true of your life and career?
Instead, I’d suggest we should all do a little time traveling. As trivial as it might sound, we should schedule some time travel with ourselves to precisely envision how our best future would look. We should write down the positioning we desire to achieve. Then we must analyze what action steps we must take to reach that destination.
Who do you know needing assistance in designing that distinctive future for their organization or career? We all know businesses that are so similar to their competition that they’re trapped in low margins and high turnover of employees and customers. This means that they have little chance for extraordinary success unless they chart a different path. We specialize in helping organizations and professionals create distinction. (In fact, I wrote the book on it!) Contact me here for more information. Let’s get started designing YOUR distinctive future!
ARTICLE WRITTEN BY SCOTT MCKAIN (originally published on LinkedIn):
Expert/Researcher on creating organizational distinction and the Ultimate Customer Experience.
Contact Us at WeSpeak Global and follow us on Twitter
The articles, video and images embedded on these pages are from various speakers and talent.
These remain the property of its owner and are not affiliated with or endorsed by WeSpeak Global.
Aerial warfare of a whole different flavour has hit the open skies. Anti “Flying Pineapple” technology implemented by various private companies has become a thorny issue for the world’s biggest online retailer, Amazon furious about the use of anti-“Flying Pineapple” technology. Disclaimer: This article is a forecast of a possible future and should not be […]
Before the pandemic, we saw a clear Qubit mindset trend in evolving away from binary thinking and extending our thinking to the endless possibilities between 1 and 0. Gender identity no longer has to correspond with the one ‘given’ at birth. Business profit could go hand in hand with improved human and societal justice. Embracing […]
There are several reasons why individuals or organizations might choose to use a Speaker Bureau instead of booking keynote speakers directly. Here are a few key advantages of working with a Speaker Bureau: Extensive Speaker Network: Speaker Bureau typically have a broad network of speakers, including industry experts, thought leaders, celebrities, and motivational speakers. They […]
Imagine attending an event where everything seems to fall into place effortlessly with a Skilled Master of Ceremonies. The transitions between segments are seamless, the audience is engaged and entertained, and the overall atmosphere is charged with energy and enthusiasm. What you may not realize is that behind this seemingly effortless experience is a skilled […]
The word strategy has become a word that often evokes fear, confusion, and in most cases stress as to how to Identifying and executing a winning strategy. The reason for it, is a strategy has often not been thought through, and the outcome has not been outlined. What I mean by that is, we often […]
It’s hard to believe twenty years have passed since I was honoured and humbled to carry the 2020 Olympic Torch Hindsight to Rekindle Embers of Hope, on the day of the opening ceremonies of the Sydney 2000 Olympics; one of only 26 people before Cathy Freeman lit the cauldron in the stadium. I’d been privileged […]
According to leadership guru Warren Bennis, “leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” Rugby and Leadership captains have that innate ability to do just this, Rugby and leadership go hand-in-hand . Here in South Africa we have witnessed numerous leaders connected to the sport of rugby who have displayed such qualities. I have […]
No doubting Lock-down has been a challenging time for almost all South Africans as We can travel again… Perhaps less so for government officials, seen attending funerals puffing cigarettes, and others who have been on full salary, but for most of us a very difficult time. The President’s announcement of easing restrictions to Level 2 from […]
Our Mission
© All rights reserved 2025. Created using VOXEL THEME
