The world has changed, and the pace of change is accelerating by the second. Blink for even a second and by the time you open your eyes again, things may have shifted. Globalisation is either a revolution or an evolution for you depending on your model of thought.
In 1999, we all worried about the Y2K bug right, and we invested huge amounts preparing for this momentous event, making sure that our hardware wouldn't shortcut because of date and number disconnects, but the big bang never eventuated. Or so we thought when we breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Deeper undercurrents of change were at play around the same time though. At the same time that the world was flattened through globalizing forces, the Western world lost its innocence in the form of gruesome terrorist attacks, the Chinese became capitalist, Gaddafi is now a respected member of the international community, the Tour de France starts in England, Howard has gone green and Rugby player have become metrosexuals. What is going on?
In the last decade the bookshelves have seen apocalyptic titles like the End of History, the End of Physics, the End of Microeconomics and the End of Science - indicating that we are at a bifurcation point in history. What is this the beginning of though?
Moore's law dictates that computer power doubles every 18-24 months. This silicon todal wave leaves thinking domains previously reserved for human beings annihilated, smashed and orphaned on the sidlelines of history.
If you are not an Early Adopter of new ways of seeing the world or tapping into its novel promises, you may find yourself in a Luddite funk.
Who here remembers carrying a brick of a phone or a beeper around in the early 90s, programming your VHS to capture the late night action of the Cricket World Cup, or the excitement of compiling your own Greatest Hits on tape? Are you still using any of them - get rid of them. They are anachronisms.
When I grew up, my father told me that I should aspire to be a lawyer. Today, when parents give their children career counseling, they do not know whether the jobs they recommend will exist in Australia in five years time.
5 years ago, we used to have to learn one new skill per year, or perhaps per month if you were fairly cutting-edge. Today, you have to learn one new skill per today. When is it going to be one new skill every hour? I would love to hear your comments on this.
To learn more about these views and to get your own coaching tips for how to be an early adopted check out 'Secrets of Great Success Coaches Exposed' here .
Cool presentation by Hans Rosling who debunks certain Third World Myths.