Haven’t you always wondered why we have such a hard time embracing change? Human brains resist change. To our brains, change means risk and risk means danger, and danger can be a saber-tooth tiger and that is a bad thing. So..change is bad.
Meanwhile, these brains of ours are always learning, expanding, asking questions, and creating new and amazing things!
In a nutshell, this is what it means to be human. On the one hand, we resist change because we’re hard-wired to avoid risk. And, on the other hand, we are powerful creators, living on the bleeding edge of innovation.
Amazing! Isn’t it? Only if we are being cerebral about it. Unfortunately, being cerebral isn’t going to pay the bills and meet payroll. So, we have to get practical about consciously dealing with change.
Can You Teach a Brain to Embrace Change?
YES! Your brain is really like a muscle and you can teach it to create new (and exciting) neural pathways. Think of it as a gym for your brain. And, while you’re at it — pick up a copy of “Flux: 8 Superpowers For Thriving in Constant Change” by April Rinne
About April Rinne
Rinne is considered to be one of the fifty leading female futurists in the world. She is a speaker and advisor for startups and governments and is often referred to as a bridge between those excited about change and those resisting it. Rinne has a Law Degree from Harvard and an MA in International Business and Finance from Tufts.
While her CV is much longer (and more impressive)than I’ve outlined here, it’s her personal life experiences that best prepared her as an expert in embracing change.
Guess what? This book was NOT written during the pandemic or about the pandemic!
April Rinne started writing this book in 2018. “Flux” took about two and a half years to write but two and a half decades to make. Rinne explains: “2020 was simply an accelerant and catalyst for some of these ideas. But even before 2020, I was really concerned by what I was seeing as a futurist, as an adviser, as a human being, around our relationship to change—and the increasing pace of change.”
The 8 Flux Superpowers
According to Rinne, we struggle with life because we constantly wish that things were different than they are. This is a recipe for persistent complaining, dissatisfaction and, if you’re a leader, potential disasterr.
“Innovation is a mindset,” Rinne says. “You need a new way of looking at things that sees change and uncertainty as a benefit rather than a problem.”
Flux introduces a new way to think about your life, relationships, and work. The focus is on getting you to develop 8 Flux superpowers that take conventional ideas and turn them on their heads. When you learn and put these superpowers in practice, you’ll develop new responses, and ultimately reshape your relationship to change.
The eight flux superpowers are:
Run Slower: Fast doesn’t equal success. Slowing down reduces stress and leads to smarter decisions.
See What’s Invisible: When you slow down, you can see what’s underneath the surface; the things that most people miss and find new opportunities.
Get Lost: Look for the unfamiliar and stretch beyond your comfort zone to boost creativity and resilience.
Start With Trust: This superpower drives everything. Change often breeds mistrust. To see opportunities, assume trust.
Know Your “Enough:” We are wired for “more.” But abundance starts with gratitude. Knowing that you are enough and how much is enough significantly reduces stress.
Create Your Portfolio Career: You will most likely have multiple careers. Give yourself the freedom to curate and cultivate experiences and skills.
Be All the More Human (and Serve Other Humans): In a world with more automation and robots, your key to thriving is to be even more human—and use your humanity to help others.
Let Go of the Future: Letting go is NOT the same as giving up. It means giving up your attachment to “how it’s supposed to be.”
Notice that these superpowers are somewhat counter-intuitive. They force you to rethink what we take for granted as “true” and open us up to new opportunities and insights.
Ready to Flux Your Way to Success?
April Rinne has an incredible ability to see how we should change our mental and operating processes to best face the inevitable change and uncertainty that’s in our future.
“Flux” is a book that you’ll want to share with everyone in your circle because it provides that spark of insight that becomes a guide for coping with change.
Whatever you’re up to, whether it’s planning your career or reconsidering your values, building a product or forming an organization, trying to influence your team, or simply being more present in the world, utilizing your flux superpowers will keep you grounded even while the earth beneath you is constantly shifting.
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This article, "Read Flux and Teach Your Brain How to Embrace Change" was first published on Small Business Trends
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Ivana Taylor, Khareem Sudlow
