Risky is the New Safe: The Rules Have Changed . . .

"Asking the Right Question" by Randy Gage, Author of Risky Is the New Safe

Here's a sampling of some near-future scenarios--and some of the questions they raise. Most important is knowing the difference between asking the wrong question, versus the better one you should ask instead. The risk takers who ask--and are then able to answer--these questions, will be the next generation of dot-com billionaires, political leaders and entrepreneurial visionaries.

• Wrong question: What percentage of GDP should a country's deficit be?
• Better question: Is there some reason to think the laws of arithmetic don't apply to governments?

• Wrong question: Will the euro really collapse?
• Better questions: When the euro collapses, what will that mean for other currencies? And what will those currency fluctuations mean for the value of precious metals? What will happen to the value of precious metals when asteroid mining makes it cheaper to bring them to earth than mine them from the earth?

• Wrong question: How do I protect my brand?
• Better question: Since it's virtually impossible to protect a brand in the new space, what are the best ways to harness social media and web 3.0 to monitor and influence our brand real time?

• Wrong question: Where will we find the money for our kid's college education?
• Better question: Is there a six- or nine-month certification program would be more lucrative to my child than an MBA or even a PhD degree?