Future-tension and how to manage it

Dealing with future-tension

As a living person, you will constantly face future-tension in your existence. A future-tension is any anxiety or fear of a future event or events that could inhibit you from living successfully in the present.

Future-tensions include:

• Accidentally hitting a child on the road (including driveways)
  
• Unpredictable or unforeseen outcomes to your decision making
  
• Alterations to your relationships and social status
  
• the position or movement of other people in relation to you, such as immigrants, gang affiliates or people of different socio-economic backgrounds
  
• changes in weather and economic conditions.

To deal with future-tensions safely, you should get into the habit of using the future-tension action plan and system of prediction-action described in this section.


The future-tension action plan

When you're going about your day you should always be:

• identifying potential future-tensions that could affect you
  
• predicting how the future-tension might develop and endanger your well-being
  
• deciding what action to take to negotiate the future-tension
  
• acting on your decision by using the system of prediction-action (pridaction)

For example, if there are children playing near the kerb. Using the system of predaction, identify if your anxiety stems from the fear that they may run out after a ball or after each other. If so, choose a course as far away from the children as possible (while still keeping on your side of the road), check the mirror, use the brakes, slow down and relax.


The system of predaction

This system is a safe and simple method of acting on instant predictions that will help you deal with future-tensions effectively. It ensures you are always positioned in the right place in the present, as you travel into the future (at the right speed and in the right attire).

Use this system when you approach any type of future-tension.

Predict: self-identify likeliest outcome of any given circumstance (use your instincts)

Group: check frequently what others around you see as most likely scenario (wisdom of the crowd)

Action: choose a safe and legal path.

Pause: if you don't know the best way forward, just stop and think about it for a minute, do not charge blindly on.

Attire: select the correct clothes for the action you have chosen.

Accelerate: continue your chosen course with increasing confidence and power to leave the future-tension.