There is a fire in the town of South Park, Colorado. A residential building is ablaze, and people are trapped inside. The fire spread very rapidly and now it is completely out of control. The fire captain is quickly running out of options. Then suddenly, when all hope seemed lost, the police officer notices…

Officer: Wait. Look! Up in the sky!

Fireman: It’s him! My God, it’s really him!

Fire Captain: He’s come to help us. Captain Hindsight!

Pedestrian: Who’s Captain Hindsight?

Announcer: Captain Hindsight, the hero of the modern age. [a series of comic book pictures follows] Once known as Jack Brolin, a reporter for the national news, the hero was born when a freak accident gave him the amazing power of extraordinary hindsight. From toxic spills to unjust wars there is no task too large for… Captain Hindsight! [the hero descends and lands next to the firemen]

Fire Captain: Captain Hindsight, thank God you’ve come!

Captain Hindsight: What’s the skinny?

Fireman: There’s people trapped in that burning building, Captain Hindsight. And the fire is so massive we can’t get to them.

Captain Hindsight: Hmmm… You see those windows on the right side? They should have built fire escapes on those windows for the higher floors, then people could have gotten down. And then on the roof: they should have built it with a more reinforce structure, so a helicopter could have landed on it.

Fireman: Yes, of course.

Captain Hindsight: And then you see that building to the left?

Fire Captain: Yes.

Captain Hindsight: They shouldn’t have built that there. Because now you can’t park any fire trucks where you really need to. [stands up tall] Well, looks like my job here is done. Goodbye everyone! [takes off]

Fireman: Thank you, Captain Hindsight!

Officer: Thank youuu!

Fire Captain: All right everyone, I guess that’s it. Let’s pack it up

Captain Hindsight is the worst superhero of all time! What we really need is Captain Proactive.

Proactive vs reactive

“The best way to predict your future is to create it.” -Abraham Lincoln

What does it mean to be proactive and why is it important?

I think the Captain Hindsight story above is a great way to stress the importance of being proactive. Being proactive is one of the 7 key habits of highly successful people, as Stephen Covey mentions in his excellent book on the subject.

Being proactive is important because this is something that sets you apart. Most of us are reactive. Stuck in the rat-race, looking for the cheese, too busy to look up. The ones that do look up, quickly figure out the best way to get the cheese is to think outside the box.

This point of Proactive vs Reactive is beautifully explained in this video:

Goals vs Systems

I will mention one important distinction between goals and systems: goals are temporary, systems are not. Although goals have their place, we should focus our efforts in creating systems of proactivity that will last beyond that one goal accomplishment.

This article by Scott Adams on this topic is a good one to read.

Always have a Plan B

In his excellent book titled “An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth”, the Canadian astronaut Colonel Chris Hadfield, talks about the importance of having a “Plan B”. The Colonel talks about how a significant portion of astronaut training is focused on having multiple Plan B-s for every operation. The astronaut must know each of these alternatives, and know them very well, before every mission.

This might seem a little excessive for civilian life but drives home the importance of proactive thinking before every task.

The Worst-Case Scenario

Thus, before embarking on a new venture, ask yourself these simple questions:

• What is the worst that can happen? So long as this worst-case scenario does not endanger your life or someone else’s, 99% of “worst cases” are not really that bad.
• What is the opportunity cost? I.e. the cost of doing nothing.
• What is the best possible outcome? Most of the time, the gains from taking the risk are significant.

The passive benefit for doing this every time, is creating a system where you get better at evaluating and preparing for any opportunity that becomes available to you.

Inspiration sources

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen Covey

An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth, by Chris Hadfield