Nobody saw that coming

The pain and shock we experience from the worst mass-shooting in the United States is the most extreme we have ever felt. Until the next time.

We reel at how disruptive innovation is transforming our industries. Surely, we tell ourselves, the pace will slow. Yet it doesn’t.

We are amazed by the magnitude of the devastation caused by a “natural” disaster. But then the one that follows is even worse.

We are surprised when people rise up to fight against decades of systemic inequity and oppression. Haven’t we transcended to a post-racial world?

Faced with escalating and challenging situations we often tell ourselves that “nobody saw that coming” or that there was just no way to prevent this.

Of course, when we say “nobody saw that coming” most of the time what we mean is “I didn’t see it.”

And that’s because we weren’t looking.

We ignored the facts. We denied an uncomfortable reality. We were afraid to confront our fear. We lost energy when it go too hard. We decided it was someone else’s job. Spoiler alert: it’s not.

Hope isn’t a strategy. It’s not even a decent tactic.

Lying to ourselves isn’t helping. In fact, it’s making it worse.

The truth is there if we are willing to see. And much of what is happening is completely predictable.

If we really desire a different outcome, we’re going to have to do different things. The hard and uncomfortable things.

And go to the places that scare us.

Originally published at stevenpdennis.com on October 3, 2017.