"The future rewards those who adapt under pressure, not those who break because of it" - Futurist Jim Carroll
Over the last five days, I’ve shared how we lead ourselves and our organizations through this moment of global volatility—one shaped by economic uncertainty, political instability, and cultural retreat from the future.
Beginning by reaffirming belief in progress, even when it feels stalled
Confronting fear with action
Challenging nostalgia with vision
Spotlighting innovation as the antidote to inertia
Emphasizing the importance of thinking across time horizons—managing today while preparing for tomorrow
But there's something deeper that sits underneath all of that: pressure..
That’s the real test—managing this moment. Keeping our heads on straight. Not letting the negativity consume us or define our future. If there’s one constant through every downturn, disruption, or crisis, it’s this: stress is the defining force of the moment. And how we respond to that stress—organizationally, personally, and strategically—determines whether we fall back, freeze up, or forge forward into what’s next.
That’s why today, it’s not just about planning for the future.
It’s about learning to adapt under pressure.
Every moment of disruption applies pressure. And pressure reveals everything. It reveals which organizations and individuals have foundations that flex, and which ones crumble. It reveals leaders who focus forward—and those who fold under volatility.
Right now, we’re not just navigating an economic downturn. We’re navigating a world defined by compounding stress—market stress, leadership stress, and system stress. But stress, when met with strategy, becomes fuel for the future.
I’ve written about this before: “It’s in our response to volatility that our future is defined.”
The most future-ready companies don’t panic. They channel pressure into progress. They don’t crumble under stress—they restructure, refocus, and realign. They transform pressure into precision—cutting noise, not capacity. They rethink agility, not just in structure but in mindset. They use stress as a forcing function—to do what needed doing all along.
My advice is clear: You don’t rebuild your organization for the next crisis. You rebuild during this one—for the world that follows.
Stress is unavoidable. But breaking is not.
**#Adaptation** **#Pressure** **#Resilience** **#Stress** **#Future** **#Crisis** **#Leadership** **#Growth** **#Strategy** **#Volatility**
Original post: https://jimcarroll.com/2025/04/decoding-tomorrow-your-daily-future-inspiration-the-future-rewards-those-who-adapt-under-pressure-not-those-who-break-because-of-it/
I don't know if you're like me, but after finishing a book I often can remember whether I liked it or not. Less about what really struck me and what I particularly liked (or disliked) and how useful it was/is to me. To cope with that I created me a system that helps me reflect on it, and keep valuable insights about it. It's all in my 𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣 
As I just finished reading Adam Grant's famous 𝙃𝙞𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙣 𝙋𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙡: 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝘼𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙂𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨, here are some of my notes.
Priorities
Due dates
: Anniina Korte (IG: caliginousgreen)
