Thriving, resilience and surviving
The way we respond to uncertain and unexpected events shapes the quality of results we create in our lives — as well as the quality of results we create in the world.
In this article, we explore what it means to wisely respond to the increased uncertainty we are facing in the world today.
Surviving
Surviving simply means to continue to live or exist. When uncertain and unexpected events happen, we respond in a way that enables us to keep on existing. Our quality of life, however, has been diminished because we are unable to adapt to the unexpected events.
Resilience
Resilience refers to our ability to cope with uncertainty by bouncing back. In psychology, resilience is defined as an individual’s ability to adapt to life challenges. In ecosystems, resilience is defined by an ecosystems ability to respond to disturbances by resisting damage and recover quickly.
Thriving
Thriving is a condition beyond resilience and surviving, when reinvention occurs after an uncertain or unexpected event. The concept is drawn from evolutionary sciences, in which successful adaptations have three characteristics:
- preserving what is needed to survive
- composting or rearranging what is no longer needed and
- creating new arrangements that generate the capacity to flourish in the new conditions
In essence, thriving occurs when we use uncertainty to innovate and transform. So more than bouncing back, we are able to bounce forward and breakthrough to something new.
Why do these concepts matter?
“Everyone talks about resilience these days. It is not always a good thing. The resilience of the current systemic structures that are driving unsustainable behaviour patterns is taking us deeper into the mess we are in.” — Daniel Christian Wahl
We live in a rapidly changing world — a world where uncertainty or unexpected events are becoming more frequent. What worked yesterday isn’t necessarily going to be enough to see us into the future. Neither is trying to remain robust — attempting to stop all unexpected events up front.
Rather, uncertainty challenges us to become aware of how we can use unexpected events to transform ourselves.
Uncertainty challenges us to become mindful of the innovation opportunities therein, such that we can adapt, evolve and thrive in response to our changing contexts.
Uncertainty presents us with a choice — we can choose to be fearful and stick to what we know, or we can choose to lean in, question our underlying beliefs and assumptions, and discover how we can adapt in the face of our challenges. We can choose to be open to having ‘aha’ moments that shift how we see our place in the world.
If we want to thrive, its vital we engage with uncertainty and unexpected events in healthy ways. A willingness to look beyond the event and search for new meaning that enables us to innovate and transform ourselves — and our world.
Navigating uncertainty
“There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about”. — Margaret Wheatley
Therefore, uncertainty and not knowing, in all of its vulnerability, is a gift — it’s the birthplace of our ability to thrive.
But it’s also the potential birthplace of failure, conflict and destruction. The thing is we don’t know what’s going to happen until we lean in. If we lean in too hard, without safe to fail conditions, surviving might be the best we can manage. Therefore, wisdom is called for in how we create space for this kind of work.
In a recent podcast, Parker Palmer suggests this kind of uncertainty and complexity can only be held in community. In well organised groups who come together to create this space for each other to navigate uncertainty. Margaret Wheatley and Deborah Frieze tell a similar story in their book Walk out Walk on. Communities who use conversations and connection to navigate uncertainty in a healthy way.
I believe these inspirational leaders are onto something very important, speaking about the critical role of community for wisely working with uncertainty.
“I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.” ― Carl Jung
Imagine what would be possible if more communities and organisations learnt how to navigate uncertainty and co-create a thriving future.
If you have any reflections you like to share, we’d love to hear from you.
