Thriving In Chaos
Quite a number of years ago, management guru, Tom Peters, wrote a book entitled Thriving on Chaos. The thrust was how to navigate the whitewater of constant and ever-accelerating change in a way that brings innovation and greater success. It is a great read and still appropriate for today.
I’d like to take a different tack and discuss thriving in chaos. Never in my lifetime has a time been more appropriately described as chaotic. The institutions and beliefs that have served as our foundations have been shaken, some shattered. Truly Atlas has shrugged.
The US government and its agencies have become a joke—a den of thieves and political hacks. Anger, emotion, and pull have replaced debate, deliberation, and constitutional decision making.
Corporations and media (in particular) have exerted virtually unchecked power in decisions that impact society. It’s as if they are seeking to supplant the governing of the people, by the people, and for the people.
COVID-19 has reduced communities to places of isolation, fear, suspicion, and snitching. Businesses have been destroyed, families devastated.
How can we survive? Much less thrive? Here are several ideas that may help.
- Stop complaining. That changes nothing and only brings your heart lower.
- Embrace reality. That doesn’t mean accept it but we must face things as they truly are.
- Never give up. To quote Winston Churchill’s admonition to the British people in the darkest days of WWII, we can never quit.
- Pivot constantly. Stay on the balls of your business fee if you can. Keep moving, bobbing, weaving, anticipating.
- Turn off the screens. TV news, Facebook, etc. have become toxic. I still enjoy a funny meme or a family picture but as a forum for meaningful discussion, media and social media have failed miserably.
- Return to personal relationships. Get out of your COVID cloister. Sit outside by the fire, on the porch with masks if you must but connect with people. Play games with your kids.
- Keep your business out of politics. This will only alienate people and ultimately turn on you. Be civil, open, empathetic but not political.
- Fix your eyes firmly on Jesus. Hebrews 12:2 is the perfect verse for times like this.
We look away from the natural realm and we fasten our gaze onto Jesus who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith’s perfection. His example is this: Because his heart was focused on the joy of knowing that you would be his, he endured the agony of the cross and conquered its humiliation, and now sits exalted at the right hand of the throne of God!” Hebrews 12:2 Passion Translation
This is a hard time for BAM. Many are falling into discouragement or worse. Yet, God has seen worse in time and remains unruffled and in control. (Psalm 2). Let us honor Him before men by being strong and of good courage (Joshua 1:9).