Watch Now: Think Like Your Future Depends On It, Because it Does

For most of our lives, we’ve been told that to be a success you need to become an expert. Find your sweet spot—what you’ll major in, your career path, what you’ll be when you “grow up”—and then get great at that one special thing you do.

But industries are evolving faster than ever. Specializations are becoming outdated. Single-mindedness is closing us off from opportunity. The question is, how can you become future ready when “what you know” won’t necessary apply and, in fact, might be blocking your view and ability to learn?

Sometimes it takes a big, “aha” moment to answer that question. In her new TEDx Talk, Think Like Your Future Depends On It, Because it Does (below), Ann Herrmann-Nehdi opens up about an intense moment in her life that changed everything—and how that changed everything else.

To design your future, Ann says, you have to get deliberate about it, and that process starts with getting deliberate about your thinking. Your thinking preferences affect everything that you do, from decision-making and problem-solving to the way you view the future.

But, as Ann points out, even though everyone has access to all four thinking quadrants, HBDI® assessment data reveals that 97% of us have a strong preference for just one, two or three of them. A better understanding of how you think and how you can stretch your thinking when necessary will give you an entirely new perspective on where you want to go and how to get there. And if you’re a leader, HR professional, coach or mentor, it will give you new insight and tools for helping others on their journeys, too.

As Ann shares in her talk, it took a fire to set her free—to open her up to saying goodbye to the past and facing her fears about the future head on. What do you need to “burn” so that you can design the future you want? Watch the video now to learn Ann’s five “thinking hacks” for getting and staying future-ready no matter what comes your way.