286: Making Better Decisions with Futurist Regan Robinson

Tanya Dalton
Hello, hello everyone and welcome to the Intentional Advantage podcast. I’m your host, Tanya Dalton. This is episode 286. We are in our season where we are talking about the spiritual Art of Work and Life. And you know what needs a little bit of a spiritual art decision making. Decision making is something that so many people struggle with. And I knew I wanted to have a conversation where we dove into how to make better decisions, how you can feel better about the decisions you’re making on a regular basis. And who better to have a conversation about decision making with then a futurist, my amazing friend Reagan Robinson is on the show today. And we are going to be talking about how you can look at your future how you can see and imagine all the different possibilities. Reagan is a futurist, she’s an advisor and an investor building an Imaginarium. She empowers visionaries to create new possibilities for themselves, their companies and even their communities. She has an incredible background, she’s worked with companies and transformed companies like vice media, Edelman digital, she’s worked with companies like Viacom and Anheuser Busch, helping them really synergize and make decisions about their future. So I knew we would have a great conversation today. And today’s show, we’re going to talk about all kinds of things. We’re going to be talking about how everyone has the ability to be a futurist, we’re going to talk about getting the kaleidoscope view, and what that means what that looks like, how we oftentimes get caught up in being right, rather than making the right decisions. And we’re even going to talk about how a leaf changed America. Strange but true, shall we go ahead and get started? Let’s go.

Tanya Dalton
There’s a spiritual art to work and life. I’m not talking about sitting in silence on a mountaintop or chanting mantras for hours a day. But finding meaning in your work in everyday life can increase your productivity, boost your happiness, and yes, make you feel so much better about your days. I’m Tanya Dalton, a best selling author, motivational speaker seven figure entrepreneur, and oh, yeah, wife and mom. So I get it. I understand the stress of daily life. But as a productivity expert, I’m here to help you choose the extraordinary life. This season, we will be exploring work, parenting, personal growth and more. Because when you choose to be intentional, every day can be filled with meaning let’s create the world we want our daughters to live in. This is the Intentional Advantage.

Tanya Dalton
Regan, you and I had such an amazing conversation. I was in New York City. I had just literally just given my Oxford talk like 30 minutes before you and I got a chance to meet up we had we had chatted before, but this was our first time to meet in person. Yeah. And we met for lunch. And I think we I think we sat at that table for like three hours.

Regan Robinson
Oh, we definitely did. I’m pretty sure I saw like two rounds of rotation of of all the other diners.

Tanya Dalton
I think so I think so too. But we were having such a great conversation. And I felt like I walked away from that it just, I don’t know, I love these types of conversations, which is why I wanted to do a whole season just on conversations that you have with other people that shift you or change you or get you thinking. And I love the way that you think as a futurist. So I think we have to start with the really obvious question. What is a futurist?

Regan Robinson
Yes. So there are quite a few definitions, as you can probably imagine, so I’m just gonna give you a simple one. So futurists explore predictions and possibilities about the future and how those possibilities might emerge from the present. So that’s a very sort of simplistic version. There are many flavors of futurist. I like to think I’m a little bit different. I’m kind of a, an outlier anomaly, if you will, misfit. Exactly. All right, misfits unite, right. And so my brand of Futurism is a little different, because as I shared with you over lunch, I’m probably one of the only futurists that is also obsessed with with history. So while the starting point or sort of I advocate for instead of thinking present forward, you need to think future back part of the future back thinking it really includes looking to the past for inspiration, because, you know, a lot of what we sort of talked about at lunch is like actually, really what is new? Is technology, a lot of ideas or a lot of businesses or things in the past that are reimagined in the present. What makes them different is technology. And so while a lot of futurists are focused and specialized in technology, for example, I’m sort of a generalist, meaning I sort of have my obsession topics, along with my obsession with history, and I’m really looking at human needs and mindset shifts and behavior changes. And so that’s what actually interests me more is what’s happening in that realm, and how our human needs evolving, and then sort of kind of connecting the dots between that and what what could be the future and sort of then also looking at the past to see what those wisdoms or those inspirations are?

Tanya Dalton
Yeah. Well, I like I like to that you had said to me that you didn’t even think of yourself as a futurist, you’re just a person who is interested in the future. But you are obsessed with the past, as am I like, anything historical, anything like historical fiction, or documentaries? I am all about? Because I do I think that you can, there’s so much mining we can do from our past to help us. And I even like that phrasing that you just said there, the possibilities, the predictions and the possibilities. The future is not absolute and written for you. It’s possibilities. And I think I that that word possibilities is so freeing, because possibilities means opportunities. And that’s, that’s pretty amazing. When you think about it, that you have all these possibilities read before you.

Regan Robinson
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, that’s a part of what what I do as a futurist, and in my work with founders, and you know, leaders is really, it’s all about anticipating what’s coming, discovering new, creative possibilities, which will enable you to thrive and the uncertain times that we live in and seize control of your own future. And so, as I think about, you know, the name of this podcast, Intentional Advantage. I mean, that’s exactly what this is about. It’s about cultivating long term strategic advantage and creating new possibilities. So yeah, yeah, well, my favorite words,

Tanya Dalton
I love it. I love it. Well, I think this is a thing. It’s like that anticipation of the future. I think sometimes, that’s what holds people back. It’s like this fear of what if, or the risk or any of those things. When you and I were chatting the other day, and we were talking about how you know, the past is cyclical, and things kind of reinvent and everything that we think of as disruptive or like out there brand new ideas. It’s just like a new iteration of an old idea. And so you you brought up, for example, Airbnb as being this huge disrupter. I was like, I had never thought about that. So I just would love for us to dive into that. Because I think when we understand that our past, our future is steeped in our past, and if we can acknowledge that that fear of the future can dissipate, it can go away, if we understand it’s just a new iteration. It’s a new innovation of who we are not a totally different person. Right? It’s not like changing who you are. I like to say On Purpose isn’t changing who you are, it’s rising up and becoming the best version of you. That’s like one of the main quotes in my second book, but that’s essentially what you’re saying here to in business in life in like every aspects.

Regan Robinson
Yeah, absolutely. I know I love the Airbnb example as well because it you know, just kind of hit me like a ton of bricks you know, I I was watching I’m sharing with you like what a you know, a history nerd I am and all the shows.

Tanya Dalton
Okay, let me stop for a second and say that Reagan is probably like the most well read. What like you immerse yourself in like, I mentioned a documentary like, oh, yeah, watch that I mentioned about you like, oh, yeah, I’ve read that book. I mean, you read so many articles and books. And so yeah, anyways, just throw that out there.

Regan Robinson
Yeah, I have. I’ve been told that before. So yeah, there’s I’m I’m quite a voracious reader and consumer of everything. And so I was watching one of my favorite History Channel’s series, the future of blank. So the future of food, which I was actually just watching an episode last night thinking of you. And, you know, and I tend to get obsessed around certain time periods or certain things. And so, I was watching one of these shows around the cereal wars between Dr. Kellogg and CW post, so Kellogg and post cereal, and that’s, you know, set in the 1800s. And it was talking about how Dr. Kellogg or he had it was called a sanatorium, which was really his sort of wellness center. CJ post was a patient and CJ post was actually staying in a boarding house with other border wasn’t he was that the way he was sort of doing sort of the lower cost version instead of like actually staying at the sanatorium? And it like suddenly hit me? I was like, Oh my gosh, like, that’s right. Like, let’s remember that, you know, boarding renting rooms to strangers was very common in the 1800s and early 1900s. I mean, I’m not sure at what point it went away. I don’t know maybe the 40s. I’m not sure about

Tanya Dalton
I guess technically with Airbnb, it hasn’t gone away. It’s come back, right. I think that’s crazy. Like if you said, I run a boarding house, people would be like, what? record skips? I’m sorry, what did you just say?

Regan Robinson
Yeah, it actually sounds like a little kind of like like it?

Tanya Dalton
Is Yeah, boarding house with tech combined. Airbnb. Exactly. I felt like my mind was blown when you were like, and I think this is true of so many things. We think it’s like this whole different thing. Right. And I think this is the maybe the trap we fall into when it comes to making decisions about ourselves or decisions about our businesses, is we feel it has to be something that’s totally split from who we are now, who we are now is like something we need to just get away from, and totally go be something different. But I love that. And the boarding house is such a great example of that, where it’s just like this, you bring in a couple of new interesting things. And it’s totally shifts, it absolutely changes the trajectory.

Regan Robinson
Absolutely. Well, you know, I always say it’s about imagining the future, imagining what could be imagining the possibilities. Imagine being the operative word, because, first of all, everybody has the ability to imagine it’s one of the few innate actually abilities that every person on this earth is actually born with. And imagination is the ability to create what does not exist today. But that doesn’t have to mean it’s the creation of something that nobody else can wrap their minds around. Now, granted, there are visionaries who have done that, you know, Thomas Edison, you know, electricity, like, I mean, that was just like, what people could not wrap their minds around that. So he actually had to create the entire delivery system around electricity in order to bring it to market, you know, that is one form of imagination. But imagination is also about taking disparate, unconnected pieces of information, ideas, and connecting them and reassembling them building relationships among them in new and different ways. And so that’s why one of my favorite tricks, is looking to the past. That’s why I love you know, listening to the business wars podcast, and watching the history of documentaries, or even any historical documentary around business, or even beyond around movements. Those are all things that I look to and apply to my work or as I’m working with founders, and you know, C suite executives around what could be the future of their company, there’s so much that we can kind of mind and reinterpret and connect and take little bits and pieces to paint or sketch an entirely different picture. Hmm,

Tanya Dalton
yeah, it’s funny because you’re totally reminding me of how when I closed my first business, and I knew I didn’t want to do the first business anymore, because it wasn’t lighting me up. I wasn’t really passionate about it. I started as a side hobby for 50 bucks, grew it to absorb my husband’s MBA income. And I wasn’t like, Oh, I love what I’m doing. It’s it wasn’t making an impact that I wanted to make No, wait. I dove into my past. And I started thinking about what are the things I’m passionate about? What are the things I think are part of my purpose, there was empowering women because I love doing business consulting and coaching especially for women teaching because I used to teach in a classroom once a teacher always a teacher and productivity. So three very separate things. And I like to say Inkwell Press productivity coat was like this little thread that connected these three distinct parts of me and became something new. So I totally resonate with what you’re saying there.

Regan Robinson
Yeah, because it’s through your lens and your interpretation, right? Because that’s, that’s also an important piece around what I do. And you know, and as I start to help other people shift how they view the future and you know, part of where it starts. So I have a framework that I call the kaleidoscope view, which is my unique way of sort of how I see the future and you know, every time you click the kaleidoscope imagine like those, you know, those little pieces that you know are getting kind of moved around and you just kind of every time you click the kaleidoscope you’re seeing something a little different and one and critical piece to wit, and this is where I’m a little different, perhaps than other futurist is my provocation is there is no future that is objective. It’s subjective. There’s no strategy that is objective, it is subjective, because its most powerful when it comes from what is calling you. Oh, so your intention?

Tanya Dalton
Hmm. I like that. I like that a lot, because it really does come down to the choices that we’re making. Right choosing, first of all, choosing to see the possibilities by imagining them, like you said, yeah, yeah, right, but choosing to see them. And then that’s a lot of agency, a lot of ownership, which we’ve definitely talked about on this podcast numerous times, by the way, because it is so important to have that that agency and that ownership. So I think that’s really interesting. What’s calling to you. I love that. Because so often we have this inkling we have this idea, like deep inside, there’s this little seed in us that’s like, Oh, what if I did this, and then we let the future scare us out of it, we let the unknown or the uncertainty rather than the possibility, right? push us away from it, because we think, Oh, who am I to do that? Or I can’t do that. Or, or this is too big of a decision. Right? And then we just kind of like sweep it off the table,

Regan Robinson
don’t you think? Right. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, a couple things bubbled up for me when you were just talking, it’s like, so part of it is fear. Right. And a lot of the work that I do I’ve been I didn’t ever anticipate this is it is around transformation and mindset shift thinking. It just so happens. I personally, through coaching, psychotherapy, and a lot of stuff that I’ve spent six years really re imagining and reinventing and rewiring Who I Am that I actually happen to have sort of these, these skills and experience built in. But I began if someone would have said to me five years ago, like I would have been like, What are you talking about? Like? No, I’m a strategist like, and I do innovation? Like, what are you talking about? Because I recognize that there is a human aspect of this, where you really it really is about letting go. And addressing the fear and ego, ego can be a part of it, as well, because we want to be right. And what I tell people is, Listen, you have to let go of the this is about the answer the solution or being right. And there is no one future. So you have to envision multiple futures. But I can tell you, and research backs this up by actually investing the time and energy into articulating what it is, what the possibilities could be what and what it is that you see. So this goes back to what’s calling you. And there’s a few other filters that I apply, you are going to be in a much better position than someone who or another company who is just, you know, focused on the present and on the day to day because we know that the world now moves at a pace. I mean, it’s never gonna go back to how it used to be right

Tanya Dalton
now never do and do we want it to do even want it to go back to how I operated before? I don’t think we do. I think we think the fact that it’s evolved and changed, that’s a good thing, just like how we evolve and change is a good thing. Yeah, it’s just hard when you’re evolving and growing. It’s often uncomfortable.

Regan Robinson
It is it’s again, that’s why I like sort of, you know, coming to terms with or embracing this, this unknown. And there are also all kinds of biases and things our brain is actually playing tricks on us I call lizard brain. So there’s all actually all kinds of things that get in the way of being future minded. Um, so so don’t feel too bad everything. But it actually does take self awareness to have sort of what perhaps is holding you back or what’s getting in the way. But I do think that starting from a self aware place of really what’s calling you because there are also sort of media narratives like, oh, I have to do this. I mean, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a conversation with someone who I’m trying to help them, you know, ensure that their company’s future fit. And they’re like, Oh, well, I just, you know, I’m really starting to realize that that’s not aligned with maybe why I started this, or what’s calling me now or other like, oh, well, so I got so caught up in all of this, that it’s actually not aligned or not aligned with, you know, another person in the company or whatever it is, I mean, it happens. I think 80% of the time people that I work with, they’re like, oh, okay, I have to get, you know, get quiet for a minute here. And really start from here and figure it out at this level. Because if it’s not clear at this level, it’s certainly not going to be clear at any other levels.

Tanya Dalton
Now it’s that’s the thing is when you have that clarity of the vision of where you want to go, that’s what helps you back up into making the better decisions. Right? It’s, it’s understanding the long term, to decide the short term. And I think what we get caught up in is just looking down at our to do list and saying, This is what I have to do today. And a lot of times, it’s like, do you really, is that really tied to where you want to go? We’re so busy asking what what do I have to do? We’re not asking Where? Where is it? I’m going, and then going back to that word you just used about that intentionality, right, really making sure that you’re choosing are you choosing to do things each and every day that gets you closer to that vision that drive you forward. I think that’s really what a lot of times we get caught up in is, we’re so busy digging out of the hole in the middle of a sandstorm. And the sandstorm is continuing to fill up that hole. And so no wonder we’re just like chasing our tails being busy worrying about what we have to do today, instead of where the hell am I going? Right? I want you to ask that question more often. Where am I going? And do I even like it? Do I like where I’m going? Is it calling to me? Like you just said, you know, is that calling to me? I think that’s powerful.

Regan Robinson
Yeah. Well, I think also part of it is getting comfortable with knowing that it could unfold in any way. So I’ll use myself as an example. A lot of people think I am crazy. When I tell them Well, I love where you’re laughing? Yeah.

Tanya Dalton
A lot of people think I’m crazy. I was like, Is there gonna be more to this? Are we just saying?

Regan Robinson
I will say I’m a mad scientist. I hear that a lot as well. But

Tanya Dalton
that’s what I love about you, though. A lot of people look

Regan Robinson
at me like what because I, you know, I like to say, My vision is to provide alternative pathways to build fun and grow companies and ultimately reduce the incidence of cancer and chronic disease. All right, if you’re like, Whoa, and I explained to them that listen, I don’t know exactly how I’m gonna get to that, that outcome. And I’m okay with it. Because part of it is, is yes, I’ve worked back and I have sort of, you know, arcs of how I sense the future will unfold and how I can play a role in that future and what I’m trying to do, how that will play a role in the future. But I’ve also let go of, of exactly how it’s gonna come to pass. Because then that leaves you open to being more dynamic and evolving, as everything around you is constantly changing, which isn’t ever going to change. So I think that’s really important as well. So when I say People think I’m crazy, they’re like, you know, like,

Tanya Dalton
we’re obsessed with control. We want to control all the outcomes we want to control. And I think this is one of the things too, that holds us back. What’s decision making, is that we worry about that, like, Am I able to control this? The truth is, a lot of the big outcomes in your life have not happened because of the big giant leaps, the big decisions you’ve made. It’s the itty bitty tiny ones. I just heard a story and I’m I was saving this for you because I was like, oh Reagan is gonna like this. I heard this story about how a leaf changed America. So there was a leaf in California that fell off a tree years and years and years ago fell off the tree and a Caterpillar was going along the ground, got to the leaf couldn’t go through it because the leaf was walking its path. So it climbed up the back of a park bench, back the ABA park bench and down onto the seat of the park bench. And along came a young man on his lunch break, who came and sat on the park bench, squashing the caterpillar. And of course, he reached his hand back there was like, oh, there’s a caterpillar smashed on my pants. I can’t go back to work. So we had to rush home. He only had one other pair of pants. So he rushes home, changes his pants and has to take his pants, his dirt, his pants that the caterpillars on to the cleaners goes to the cleaners. And the owner’s daughter happens to be working the desk and he meets her has this great conversation. They agreed to go out to dinner. So they go out to dinner, start dating, fall in love, get married, have a baby. And that baby grows up to be a well read man who eventually became President Richard Nixon. President Richard Nixon is here because of I was not expecting that. Right? Because of me falling from a tree. And of course, we all know President Nixon that totally changed a lot of how we do politics in America and everything else from Elise. So let go of needing to control all the big decisions and recognize that some things in the universe are out of our control. And that’s okay. I love how you talk about that. Like it’s a it’s a beautiful thing because it leaves you open to the possibilities.

Regan Robinson
Yeah, yeah, I mean, being you know, it’s about having a beginner’s mind. You know, it’s about Really, I mean, I’m constantly put horseback riding as an example of something that I just picked back up after not doing for 25 years, because I was like, I wonder what’s gonna happen, I’m just gonna, I’m gonna give it a whirl, and I’ll tell you, like, not what I’m on the horse, because I’m really focused on riding, but on the drive upstate, and on the drive back, my mind is like just teeming with all kinds of ideas. Because I’ve gotten myself a little bit outside of my comfort zone, I’m doing something new. I’m in nature, like all of these, these different things. And, you know, my mind just, it’s just like sparking on all of these ideas where I’m connecting dots. Again, this is where imagination comes in, because I am in a rest and digest state. So your parasympathetic nervous system. And so I think that, you know, really, you know, being intentional about doing those types of things is really important as well. I mean, there is a method to the madness. I mean, it’s, you know, by actually taking the time to start to explore what could be it actually, it is going to lower your anxiety level, because at least you’ve gotten some things out on the table. Yeah, right, instead of just, you know, burying your head in the sand and like pretending you know, everything, you know, all of this stuff isn’t happening, by actually taking some time, and, you know, exploring and hopefully playing and having some fun with it, you’d be surprised what you learn, I always tell people, you’re actually gonna get more clarity. So I actually, again, in terms of getting outside your comfort zone, I force people to go really big to the point where they’re like, whoa, like, now you’ve overwhelmed me with all the possibilities, all all sorts of the sources of disruption and change. But then, after a couple of weeks, they tend to come back to me, they’re like, all right, you really pushed me and I really wasn’t seeing, like, I was overwhelmed. And I wasn’t seeing like how it was all relevant. But now that I’ve had time to sort of marinate and reflect, at least everything has gotten out on the table, so I can let those things either let them go. Yeah, because maybe it isn’t, it’s irrelevant, or no, you know, or it goes into a parking lot, or Oh, no, this is something that I actually wasn’t even thinking about. That could impact my future, my business. And now I’m in power. Yeah. Because you know, no, power, right? Oh, totally.

Tanya Dalton
Well, it’s, it’s letting the monsters out of your brain and putting them into light, right? Because that’s when they’re scary when it’s the middle of the night and it’s dark. And you’re thinking of all the things that could be what if, what if, what if, and we, we ruminate on these things? I love that idea of you just put them all on the table, bring them to light, the monsters aren’t nearly as scary. You just realized, oh, that’s just that’s just a possibility. There’s all these other ones. So laying all that out. That is such a great tip. Because I think I think making decisions is difficult for a lot of people. But that idea of just just go let yourself Imagine the possibilities, like Reagan said, Imagine the possibilities, laying on the table and take a good look. I love that. Reagan, we are unfortunately out of time. Because you and I know we had a three hour conversation just a half ago, based on our experience tells us Yeah, we better get this off. But please let everyone know, where’s the best place to connect with you learn more about you? Yes. So you

Regan Robinson
can you can find me on LinkedIn just at Regan Robinson, I’m pretty easy to find. So check me out there, you can send me a DM.

Tanya Dalton
And I’ll have the link to that in my show notes as well. Regan, thanks so much for letting us have this conversation recorded. This was amazing. Thank you so much. Yeah, no,

Regan Robinson
Thanks for having me – so fun as always,

Tanya Dalton
When Itell you that Regan and I could have sat here and talked for hours on hours. I mean it because she and I have done that in the past. She is she’s just an amazing wealth of knowledge. And the way that she looks at the future, I think is fascinating. So we talked about things today, like predictions and possibilities. And I want you to think about that, when she talked about that idea of imagining the possibilities. Think about how that opens up your entire mindset of what that could possibly look like. You know, I think so often when it comes to making decisions, we get really myopic, we get really nervous about what this is going to do and how we can control it and how we’re going to get there. And instead, what if we chose to just imagine the possibilities, and really diving into who we are looking at that past to help us move forward into the future. You’ve heard me say before on this podcast and in my books, we have to look backwards in order to move forwards. And I love how Reagan really takes that principle and applies it in not just our personal life but also in our businesses. Really looking at what those opportunities look like. I think when we shift our thinking into looking at the future as an opportunity that changes everything. It changes everything. Because here’s the question, you can start asking yourself, if you’re feeling really stymied, if you’re feeling stuck, and you’re not sure, what kind of decision you want to make, the question I want you to ask yourself is, what if I don’t make the decision? What does that looked like? That’s a really easy future to predict. Because all we have to do is look at that path of where you’ve been. And if you continue doing the same thing tomorrow, as you’ve done yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that, your future is gonna look the same as it did yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that. So if you’re ready for a change, if you’re ready for a shift, do that exercise that Reagan talked about, putting all those different possibilities on the table, and yes, even the frightening ones, even the ones that scare you just a little bit or a lot bit, pick the monsters out of your brain, set them out, bring them to light that makes everything so much easier. You know, if you’re looking for ways to overcome some of that fear, I have several podcast episodes about fear. I’ll put those in the show notes. When we talk about looking at that and becoming. We don’t want to be risk adverse. But we want to be risk educated. We want to be really smart with our decision making. Because truly, when you move forward when you choose your actions up today, with tomorrow in mind, when you become a futurist in your own life. That’s when you got the Intentional Advantage.

Tanya Dalton
Ready to take action on what we talked about on today’s episode. The easiest way to get started is my free take five challenge five minutes a day for five days. That’s it, and yet it will boost your productivity and double your happiness. I can promise you 1000s have taken the challenge. Go to Tanya dalton.com/take Five to join or click the link in the Episode Notes. And don’t forget to follow the Intentional Advantage on your podcast player so you don’t miss an episode.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai

**This transcript for The Intentional Advantage, one of top productivity podcasts for women, is created by AI, so please excuse any typos, misspellings and grammar mistakes.

 

Tanya Dalton has been called a top woman motivational speaker. Her productivity keynote  presentations cover topics like habits, goal setting, purpose, and time management.