It\u2019s a quiet rainy Sunday morning. It has been a full and busy weekend so far. With the help of my son and son-in-law Saturday was a day of home repairs that were long overdue. This morning with coffee in hand I looked out over the deck at a cedar fence that needs repairs. Just another project on a long list of projects. I noticed the dark green metal t-posts I installed to hold up that section of the fence as a temporary repair. My intent was to do the repairs over a year ago. Where had the time gone? Looking at it now, it doesn\u2019t seem all that important considering the complexity of todays world. Though it needs to be done it isn\u2019t on the top of my priority list. I don\u2019t believe anyone could have predicted the many changes that have taken place this past year.<\/p>\n
Steven D\u2019Souza and Diana Renner in their book Not Knowing<\/em> discuss the findings of a survey done by Hans Rosling on population growth. The study revealed the we often rely on outdated ideas. \u201cAs the world is changing so rapidly, we increasingly find ourselves in situations where we know, or what we thought we knew is no longer correct.\u201d[1]<\/a> Of course, none of us has a crystal ball. Even if we could keep up with the changes and have the latest data at our fingertips can we honestly say we understand the complexity of the challenges we are currently facing. According to D\u2019Souza and Renner \u201cknowing the final destination is a fallacy.\u201d[2]<\/a> They go onto explain that the more complex the situation the harder it is to truly understand the possible variables and the unforeseen outcomes. They equate it to \u201chaving a map to a largely unknown territory is as useful as having no map at all.\u201d[3]<\/a><\/p>\n I never intended my temporary repair to be a permanent fix. Temporary repairs may very well be part of a quick fix mindset.\u00a0 \u201cWhile it\u2019s natural for a person to seek a quick fix every now and then, many of us are utilizing quick fixes before ever really considering alternatives. This kind of mindset is being referred to as quick-fix syndrome.\u201d[4]<\/a> According to D\u2019Souza and Renner when we enter into the quick fix mentality our brains default back to old habits. The problem with quick fixes is they don\u2019t bring a long-term result and they don\u2019t allow for deep engagement with the issues at hand. [5]<\/a><\/p>\n In an age of actual time, microwaves, instant everything, fake news, and wanting things our way like the old Burger King commercial recommended the desire for fast simple fixes are part of everyday life. If a quick fix mentality causes us to default to old thinking habits how can we navigate the complexities of an ever-changing life? If we truly need long term lasting results, how can we slow down long enough to engage things at the depth that is needed to come up with a long-term plan? I am often times reminded of Albert Einstein\u2019s definition of insanity: \u201cdoing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.\u201d\u00a0 Can fear and anxiety be the bi-product of living a life of insanity? How does doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different result drive us into a quick fix mentality? May be we should improvise, it seems like everyone else is!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 [1] Steven D\u2019Souza and Diana Renner, Not Knowing: The Art of Turning Uncertainty into Opportunity, (London, LID Publishing,2016), 84<\/a><\/p>\n [2] Steven D\u2019Souza and Diana Renner, 86<\/p>\n <\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 [3] Steven D\u2019Souza and Diana Renner, 86<\/p>\n