“A vision describes the target state and the concrete steps to achieve it”

“Humans are beings who have the ability to imagine the future in such detail that they can create it.” This quote is from you. What exactly are you trying to tell us?
Florence Gaub: There are basically three ways in which people look to the future: with trepidation, with a willingness to take risks – or not at all. The latter is probably the most widespread and certainly the most problematic. Many people only think a few weeks ahead, don’t pay enough attention to their retirement planning or ignore long-term developments such as climate change. But if you don’t engage with the future, it will simply happen to you.

What I’m trying to say is that the alternative lies neither in blind risk-taking nor in a constant state of caution. Planning the future is strategically similar to a soccer match: You don’t win by playing only defensively or solely offensively. Adopting a reflective approach to risk is crucial. From an economic perspective, this is key: New things only emerge when there is opportunity to take risks without fear. Countries that approach the unknown with less fear are more innovative and economically more successful. Those who shy away from risks stifle developments, while openness to new challenges fosters growth – both economically and individually.

That’s easier said than done, isn’t it?
Gaub: In such simplistic terms, yes. However, optimism isn’t an innate characteristic, but an attitude. It’s a trait you can acquire. Those who are primarily concerned with what’s beyond their control will develop a sense of powerlessness. However, those who think about what can be influenced in concrete terms will inevitably become more optimistic. It’s like a muscle that grows through use. Over time, a reflex develops to search for what is possible and can be created. And this gives rise to confidence.

Let’s look at this from the perspective of companies: They have to react ever more quickly and creatively to national and international developments. How can the state help them with this?
Gaub: It’s true that rules and regulations create security. In my opinion, however, we don’t have too little of this formal security in Germany, but rather too much. Our legal system creates stability. At the same time, however, companies are experiencing overregulation in many areas, which makes innovation very difficult, especially in these times.

It’s not so much a lack of security as a lack of orientation. Security doesn’t arise from someone claiming to know exactly what will happen next. It comes from a vision: Where do we want to go, and how do we get there? A vision describes the target state and the path toward it. This is also a political task.