August Read/1

Title: Flash Foresight: How to See the Invisible and Do the Impossible

Author: Daniel Burrus

Subjects: Success in Business; Decision Making

Dewey Call Number: 658.409 B972F 2011

Summary: "Wouldn't it be amazing if you could predict the future—and be right?" writes Burrus. Like a good story teller, the author starts each chapter with a true event to lead the readers to the primary points supporting the featured chapter title. To further prove his point, "You can: all you have to do is leave out the parts you could be wrong about! And the amazing thing is, when you know where to look, there's more than enough you can be right about to make all the difference,” on page 24 through page 26, there are lists of the author’s successful predictions in the past.

     In the author’s eye, flash foresight is simply about using one’s eyes to look at things in a different way (Introduction p12). In the book, the author lists seven mental processes for the readers to follow, exercise, and practice. They are: Start with certainty, Anticipation, Transform, Take your biggest problem-and skip it, Go opposite, Redefine and reinvent, and Direct your future.

My Read: As I peruse the book, process 4/Skip the problem and 5/Go opposite strike a sound chord on me though the first process/Start with certainty is also a good way to make a presentation awesome and inspiring. Skip the problem: I like the author’s method facing a problem: peeling the onion. It’s the same description and method I have been used as I try to persuade someone or make a point. Both mental processes remind me of checking blind spots and avoiding tunnel vision. Application of “Go opposite” encourages and inspires a person to have positive thinking. Crisis consists of two elements: pending danger and promising opportunity. Which do you see and choose?

     One good way to exercise the positive thinking is to carry a coin with you. Whenever you are facing with or overwhelmed by dilemma, frustrating situations or nightmarish issues, pick up your coin and look at both sides. Which sides do you want to choose and work on it, the head or the tail? The selecting process itself would get rid of the heaviness from your heart/mind and lead you to the positive path. Solutions are there behind the back of your head. All you have to do is to look at the right direction and be creative with vivid imagination. 

     Practice, practice, and practice!!!