With 20/20 Hindsight, it all makes sense

We often use “20/20 hindsight” to describe the clarity of vision that comes from our experiences — it allows us to see the mistakes we made in the past and how we could have done things differently.

Since we are looking back on what has already occurred, the reasons it happened become crystal clear even though when those events unfolded, we could not see those reasons, AND we were confused or unclear about what to do.

20/20 hindsight is also a fantastic tool to use for rewriting our history. Ask any expert about the power of imagination, and you will hear how we humans embellish, remember differently and fashion different narratives around events which others who too participated do not share. Those rewrites will often protect ourselves, our psyches, our reputations, and the reasons behind our actions.

I was reminded of ‘20/20 hindsight’ a few weeks ago

As I prepared to develop the still-under-construction 5Cs website.

You see, I struggled to find and then sort through all the breadcrumbs, understand any possible reason, and then put into order all the chaotic, headache-inducing actions I’ve taken these last four years. As evidence, I seem to have spent money when I didn’t have it, taken disparate courses which at the time made absolutely no sense, pushed myself into activities I would never be caught dead doing and created timelines for things that had no earthly way of happening.

(The Charlene of even ten years ago would NEVER have done any of it! Somedays, I don’t even recognize the Charlene of today.)

Worse, for every rock I turned over, there were so many dead ends, empty lanes, useless or unproductive activities, awards for things that didn’t matter, multiple errors in execution, and so many ‘try this thing and change that bit over theres,’ my head was a constant swivel. Clearly, I had been a mess this whole time.

Yet three things were very apparent when I stepped back and looked at it from a 75,000 ft view: a podcast, a book and a community. And then, there it was.

An organized schema of the vision I didn’t know I was working toward, all the steps that led straight to where we are today and the way forward to get to the place we will ultimately arrive.

Last week, those on the waitlist got a sneak peek into what’s coming. This week, I launched the final, fully fluffed and buffed version. You can see the results of my thinking here.

Using 20/20 hindsight, I make it seem like a straight line from A to Z. With 20/20 hindsight, I can tell exactly why and what it was all about. However, there were far too many times when the clarity of it all was not evident.

Truthfully,

I had a vague sense of ‘trust your intuition,’ a pigheaded streak to keep going and two besties who have patiently listened to me moan and groan and whine for a couple of years now!

I’ve come as far as I can. It’s time to gather like-minded people around me and bring them all together.

People who are tired of the noise and baffle gab about how fragile the earth is, how doomed our planet is and how useless our world governments are at keeping their promises. Good humans who want to leave the world a better place for their kids and grandkids. Businesses that want to do good, be good AND make money. Leaders who like to take action, measure the right metrics and inspire others.

It’s time to build a community of climate changemakers. One good human at a time.

That’s why I am so pleased to unveil and invite you to join me. I am looking for the first 100 members to kickstart this into gear. Behind the scenes, I’ve been reaching out to as many as possible and am thrilled that the reaction is generally favourable.

Here is my ask of you today.

Please take a look at the website and, most importantly, the membership offer to coalesce the community. If this is not the best time to join personally, no problem. Please share it with your friends, family members and colleagues you know would be interested.

Because this is what I do know.

Great things are always possible. Especially by good humans. Particularly by businesses. And definitely when we come together. Saving this place we call home, planet Earth and even Earth One is no different.

I already imagine my excitement when writing next year’s opinion piece. With great foresight (and my crystal ball), I predict I’ll be writing,

‘A year ago, when I first mentioned this to you, I had an unshakeable belief and an unassailable trust. This year, let me proudly proclaim the accomplishments we never imagined possible.’

I know deep in my heart, my bones and my soul. We can do it. Together. For the highest good of all.