We need to learn to value freedom over security and insurance again
We are living in a faster changing and more dynamic world than no generation before us. To many of us, this seems to be very negative, causes anxiety and makes us fear not to find our place in life. However, mostly, these changes and constant challenges we face can be a massive opportunity and chance for development, innovation, and improvement of our lives and that of others. The difference between seeing change and adaptation as an opportunity or a threat is our individual mindset. Depending on what path we choose here, we will go down the path of valuing freedom of ideas and expression to response to changes and opportunities we are facing, or if we decide to be fearful of the future, we decide for a path of looking at other for guidance and living a life where we need constant insurances and security. However, if we decide to go there, we might never reach our full potential. It is therefore time to wake up to the fact that we need to lean again to appreciate freedom over our constant desire for protection, security, and insurance.
The first thing to mention in this context is that we can never be 100% secure. Every day we expose ourselves to risk by just leaving the house. We are driving cars, crossing roads and get involved in various activities that expose us to significant risks. However, we are willing to take into account and accept that for us to go about our daily lives we have to take those risks in order to fulfill our needs, develop and prosper as human beings. If we therefore now know that we can never be 100% protected and secure in life, we should feel a bit more encourages to take risks and explore the right balance for us between risk taking and having some kinds of security net for our actions.
Because our world is getting more and more complex and we very often cannot jump to easy answers, many of us have an increasing desire for security and protection. This desire is encouraged by more and more regulations we are facing from governments and external sources that hinders us from being exposed to risk. However, by being ever more protected, we will not become happier people, which is the irony of this. With a protective mindset in a very complex world, we are discouraged as humans to take risks and reach out full potential of using our individual skills in the best possible way. We create barriers for ourselves and others that discourage us from expressing our ideas freely and e willing to take the risks to achieve the best possible outcomes.
The core question is for example, do we want to live a life where we doit the same job every day – or do we want to be challenges, develop and questions things for ourselves and others, which always automatically might require for us to take risks and have a free mind for self-development and innovation. Of course, in our thrive of freedom, we should be drawing some safety nets in and decide for ourselves how big a risk we are willing to take. However, it is important that we move from a culture of protectionism again to one of innovation, risk taking and becoming “doers” rather than followers who want security and see change as a threat. We will see that by doing this, we will become more fulfilled ourselves while at the same time also benefitting may others around us through innovation and fresh ideas.
Taking risks, being free in our mindset for change and seeing it as an opportunity is something that has lost attraction for many in an ever more complex world that scares many of us. We need to work on our mindset, to move away from protectionism and regulation to a free, innovative and opportunity seeking mind. It will make us more fulfilled human being in the long term that will help us reach our own potential in the best possible way.
