Everywhere around us there are events about: “The Future of…..”. The Future of Finance, of Work, of Retail, of Health Care and so on. Apparently we are eager to learn more about the future. Everything around us is changing which means that nothing stays what it was and will not return to how it was. But what then?
Certainties disappear.
We prefer to have clarity and certainty because that gives us peace. That’s what we are used to. We are taught to get that feeling of security from external factors like a fixed contract, a job title, a salary, the brands we have worked for or are working for or the performances have reached in the past. But in the last decade these factors have lost this value.
A fixed contract does not give us a guarantee till retirement anymore (apart from the question if we still want that), job titles have become more diffuse and unclear. A lot of starters already call themselves CEO when they register at the Chamber of Commerce. There goes the classical career path to the top! A great salary has become a golden chain (and we are hoping for a great departure scheme). And where you first worked for a dreamed corporate where you thought a successful career was settled, this now has turned against you in finding a new job since you are not flexible or innovative anymore.
The future isn’t certain either.
So in all areas is becomes clear that the certainty we once knew will not come back so then it makes sense that you want to learn more about the future and you attend these events. But often you will be disappointed because the essence of most of these stories is that the world around is becoming digital faster and stronger and it’s changing the essence of work. Probably your work will disappear and you will lose your job. OK, that’s not what you wanted to hear. Or is it? What you can actually conclude is that no-one really knows. The only thing that is clear is that everything is changing. And so it is important to change your perspective on certainty too.
Certainty from yourself.
When we can find less certainty from external factors we will have to get them more from internal factors and therefore from yourself! But aren’t we doing that already? Everyone is developing their “talents”. We want to do what we like and what we are good at. In practice however it means that it needs to happen quickly and easily since we are “so busy”. Besides we expect our employer to pay for it. Why on earth should we invest in ourselves?
Invest in yourself structurally.
Developing your “talent” is not gonna help you. The question you first need to pose yourself is how valuable you see yourself and how willing you are to structurally invest in yourself. Next to that it is important to gain more insight in what you have to offer in terms of vision, knowledge, skills, experience and so on with which you can make a difference. How strong are you applying and developing these every day again and again? And how will you make sure that you have the impact that matters? Not just now, but also in the future?
Learn because you want to.
These were quite some questions and in the fact lies the heart. By asking lots of questions you will become curious again, you acknowledge that you don’t know and above all you realize that you still have a lot to learn. Just learn again as you did as a child, because it was fun, because you grew in your capabilities. And of course it was sometimes frustrating, but the bigger was the satisfaction when you mastered something at a certain moment. To which extent are you still learning like this?
So start learning again, not because you have to but because you want it yourself. Because it makes you human and because it gives you the opportunity to mean something for customers, colleagues, society with what makes you unique.
At your next “Future of…”-event.
The strong thing about trendwatchers that tell you about the “future of…” is that they have started to look around them based on their own interest and vision. They have started to wonder what is happening, what is relevant for them and reflect on what might happen when you tie several developments together. In that way build an image for themselves (and you) based on which they can make new choices. They don’t do this because their employer asks them to do it, the do it because they want it themselves.
So when you are attending a new “future of”-event don’t just listen and consume. Sit down and continuously question what the story may mean for you and your profession. What can you do with it, what do you want to do with it and how can you use the information to not only get more out of your work but also be better prepared for the future of work and above all the future of you?
Are you organizing an event about “the Future of….” And you want your participants to leave inspired instead of in shock then The School for Mastery has developed a story called “The Road to Mastery” especially for this purpose.
For more information: info@schoolformastery.com.