Tech and innovation: Shining a way through chaos

Knowledge has always been the ultimate reserve currency, helping us navigate change and uncertainty. Today, tech and innovation offer a stabilizing force. Let me explain.

When financial instability occurs, resources move towards the place where certainty can be found. This is a common idea utilized in the world of investing. If someone invests in something that provides a large amount of certainty, they usually win big when a market crashes as nervous investors flood into the safe investment and run away from the uncertainty of the crashing market.

But the idea goes beyond the investment world into the worlds of business and personal life.

When everything breaks, we always depend upon what we know. Whether it’s a lost revenue stream, a broken marriage, or an apocalypse, we always lean on what we are most certain of in order to make it through.

The facts we’re sure of, the favors owed, and the processes we know to be dependable, are where we apply our energy.

Moving forward through tech and innovation

This brings about two ideas:

1. You can succeed by providing the most certainty in times of chaos.
2. You can succeed by knowing that, in times of chaos, people lean on certainty. So, doing something different, and taking advantage of a seemingly uncertain opportunity, that you’re personally certain of, can pay big dividends.

It’s known that the vices often win in times of chaos, and I’m not so sure that’s because of escapism. I think it might be because vices create a predictable result.

Technology and innovation usually win in times of chaos. Partially because people are more willing to change to solve their problems. But also because innovations tend to provide more reliable and efficient solutions than what came before.

The people offering that innovation during times of chaos are taking a massive risk by doing something that is socially uncertain because of the lack of adoption, but more certain according to the laws of physics than the previous innovation.

The people who invest in innovation during uncertain times are investing in a more solid piece of knowledge, a more stable reserve currency, than what came before.

Searching for stability in tough times

If life throws itself into shambles due to a personal struggle of some sort, the first option people take is to go back to what they know. Depending on what level of achievement someone has realized, this could take on many different forms.

For example, someone might run into a personal tragedy and hold on to a simple life pattern in order to maintain their life. A predictable exercise routine, watching the same show repeatedly, eating the same meal every day… Something that gives them stability in their time of struggle.

Another option would be to latch onto a better routine, something that you haven’t adapted to yet, and is uncomfortable but healthier, an innovation. It feels uncertain in the sense that you’re not used to it. But you put your certainty in your knowledge that it’s the logical choice.

Every time a city has fallen into major criminal activity, the currency has become one of favors and networks of relationships, the knowledge of who owes who. And the understanding that if a person is trustworthy, especially in the criminal world, that person will excel because of the certainty they provide others by their behavior.

Because when the laws of a society aren’t upheld, the predictability of the society disappears. No one knows what will go and what will stay. They don’t know what they can trust that is outside of themselves. But they know they have themselves to trust.

So what they hold inside of their minds becomes more valuable.

I believe, the more you can provide certainty to others in times of chaos, through known predictable ways, or innovative, better ways, the more valued you will be.