As we speak, thousands and maybe even millions of people are attempting to have your biggest dream(s). A woman named Beth, a guy named Joe or even a young man named Timothy who is in the 10th grade is desperately planning to be just a good as you are. Let’s not forget little Chantel who just entered pre-kindergarten. Chantel is a sweet girl I’ll be sure to introduce you to her later. But there is a news flash; someone just booked a plane ticket in your name and guess where you’re going? I don’t know but maybe at the end of this blog you will have a better idea….
The next 60 years for many of us won’t be nearly and I’m on a stretch by saying remotely of anything of the past 60 years. It has been projected by many sources that the next workforce won’t be able to expect to work the same job for thirty years, retire, and ride into the sunset. There is more of a high chance that a person will change jobs on several occasions if not changing career paths at some point in the process as well. With a great financial crisis that is facing our country now who knows what a financial meltdown would be like 60 years from now. In any event it’s important to learn how to be ready for such cases and why not plan now for it.
So I guess I’ll introduce you to Chantel. I haven’t met Chantel. I actually just made her up, but needless to say there is a Chantel that is out there somewhere in the world. She’s in pre-kindergarten and she just turned 4 about several months ago. Chantel has big dreams and undiscovered talents. What would be her potential in 20 years? What would you say or how would you feel if I said she or anyone else could take, perform, and deliver your job better than you can? Where will you be 20 years from now? How will you get there?
The biggest message that I can stress to you, myself, or anyone else is that you are just a fragment of a larger picture with billions of others. With that said, how would you compete against the rest? What would you do in order to acquire the knowledge? Where would you start? I bet you thought I had or have the answers, but I don’t. I have somewhat of an ideal format for myself, but at the end of the day whether it is right or wrong my methods work for me. I challenge you to figure out what works for you? Look at the people you’re surrounded by, the responsibilities that you take on, and the work that you produce.These are all small steps to a much larger framework of things to be done. The bell has just sounded and its boarding time so be sure to catch that plane. Is everything packed? Did you make it to the terminal yet? You do have your ticket right?
This does a great job of touching on what we call presentism in the field of history … letting present conditions influence how one measures (or predicts) history.
For instance, the doom-and-gloom predictions and projections on so-called Generation X were fomented during a recession in the early 1990s. The same players projected a sunnier glow to Gen Y or the Millennials during the economic boom of the later 1990s. People did not, as you suggest, take a step back and consider larger forces at work. Are the two generations themselves that different? Outside of use of technology and life experiences, today’s college students have similar attitudes, habits and outlooks to when I was in college. Chantel will be different than you and I, but all of us benefit from cultivating skills, values and a healthy work ethic. That will never change.
Thanks for yet another thought-provoking post!
Do you honestly think we’ll be in a recession for 60 years? We are almost out of this recession and trust me, good things are yet to come. Yeah, people tend to change jobs more often than before, but that is the new ADHD working generation for you. As for retiring, anyone can retire happily if they plan ahead (wayyy ahead) and are smart with their finances.
How do you compete against the rest? Resort back to the all every important NO quit attitude is having what it takes. Regardless of using right or wrong methods, following through with confidence will prove beneficial. good post