getty Years ago, I heard a saying that stuck with me: American companies think about the next quarter. Worldwide companies think about the next quarter-century. It’s not wrong. Consistently and repeatedly, the companies that succeed over the long haul are the ones that aren’t planning for next week, but for the next decade. But how do they do it? Do they have a crystal ball? Can they just see directly into the future? And if so, why aren’t they winning the lottery week after week, or at least letting us know when being a long-suffering Mets fan will finally pay off? Here are five ways business leaders like myself prepare for the future today. Be willing to constantly learn from outside your echo chambers. It’s easy to get used to reading, watching and absorbing the same information. The problem is when you do that, you only learn the same things. Expand your mind. Read things you’ve never heard of before. Subscribe to magazines, podcasts and video channels that have absolutely nothing to do with what you do or what you know. You’d be amazed at the lessons you can learn and how you can apply them to your business. […]