Flat World Survival Kit
As the world is flattening, technology has given people and countries opportunity to compete on more comparable terms than ever before. We’ve seen offshoring and outsourcing pump new life into China and India and the convergence of personal computers and open source software has made information accessible to virtually anyone, anywhere at any time. So, is this a good thing or a bad thing?
In my humble opinion, it is great and absolutely fascinating. I am tempted to say that some of the products and applications created as a result of the world becoming flatter, (namely Google, my GPS and my BlackBerry) are not just ‘great’, but essential to my life. Although I know they truly aren’t, I often ponder how people lived without these things…?
When Google was down yesterday for a couple hours, I felt like my brain was on hold. OK, so perhaps I search the internet a lot, but it was still a weird feeling and totally proves my point. Our flattened world and increased competition has played a key role in globalization, opening the world market and expanding economies of previously suppressed countries. Apply that to humans, and the competition encourages, or challenges, us to expand and become better. With similar tools and resources available to all of us, it really eliminates excuses and leaves it up to our own selves to seek and use the knowledge to become better. Heck, everyone else is. But, how? All of this is very overwhelming- taking full responsibility is scary, leaving no one to blame, no fingers to point. What to do?
Master Something
Competence in many skills and becoming “well-rounded” is important, but excelling at something specific will set you apart. Not everyone is going to be the best at everything; rarely are people the best at anything. Find something you have the propensity to be the best at and go for it. After you think you are the best, get better. Chances are there’s someone out there that’s at the same skill level you are, or a little better. Keep that in mind, not to discourage you, but to keep you on your toes.
Network
No need to increase your friends on Facebook and followers on Twitter just to feel cool and better about yourself. If you don’t engage with your contacts with purpose, don’t expect to yield great results. Network with an intention; find those that are at your same skill level, perhaps join forces and collaborate, but definitely seek those who surpass your skill level. Learn from them, approach them with a genuine interest to find out how they got to where they are. Finding role models can help you see your dreams in reality.
Appreciate New Technology
Keeping an eye out for new technology releases is almost too obvious to include in this list, however, it’s the ‘appreciation’ part I want to emphasize. Really accept it and actually try out new things. Having an open mind about technology seems natural to some, but just as natural for others to reject it. People are resistant to change and find that having to learn a new system, or a new anything, is time consuming, too hard, or come up with any excuse they can. As far as the next new application, you have been living without it for this long and have gotten by just fine, right? Wrong. The guy sitting next to you has already figured out how to use it, has gotten really, really good at using it and is now making money with it. You never know how new technology will impact you or your industry.
Embrace Ambiguity
Many people fear the unknown and find comfort in consistency. The only thing in life that is consistent is change; oh the irony! Don’t resist the inevitable unknown and change on the horizon. I promise, the more resistant you are, the harder you are making things for yourself. It’s your attitude and your mindset and last time I checked, you are the only one that can change your attitude, because it’s YOURS. One of the biggest favors you will ever do for yourself is to take full responsibility for the way you feel. Totally owning and controlling your feelings can empower you to change them whenever you want. Make the decision to see your obstacle as an opportunity. Chose to believe that by overcoming a challenge, you will be better and stronger than if everything always worked out perfectly- because it doesn’t. At the risk of sounding cliche, make that lemonade when life serves you lemons.
We aren’t people any more, we are brands. Brands that need to be managed and cultivated. Our flattened world has given us the gift of increased competition has lead us to embrace the concept of managing ourselves as free agents. If you don’t, who will?
