A ‘Buggy Whip’ Generation

We ARE a ‘buggy whip’ generation. How so you ask? Technology is changing so fast and almost everything we do is influenced and enhanced by all the technologies flooding on the scene with tons more to come. Prior methods of getting things done are being abandoned for methods that use the benefits of these technologies.

Imagine someone purchasing a Model T a century ago and refusing to learn how to crank it, put in gas & oil. Instead they scoff at the idea of having to learn anything new and sit down in the car and get out their buggy whip and start whaling away expecting to get somewhere.

A bit of an extreme example but some of us are acting like that today.

So What To Do?

Well first and foremost embrace the concept that if you are going to be a leader in this industry you will need to be willing to abandon your buggy whip. What does that mean? It means you must embrace the concept of self-directed learning.

Don’t wait for someone to tell you what you need to learn, make a decision that you will learn what you have to and take a proactive approach.

First Things First

The #1 thing you must do is embrace the computer & other technologies. If you are going to be a global enterprise and do it quickly you will delay your success by only handing out flyers your up line made for you and dropping cards. Learning how to use the computer will enable you to Cash Flow The World from anywhere in the world and compress the time frame in which to accomplish your global vision.

Upon making that decision the first thing to do is become an expert at using Google or some other search engine. You can discover how to learn/do anything from the comfort of your home if you know how to search the World Wide Web. There is nothing that some number of people is not showing you the best way to do/learn something on the net. When you learn how to search for it and find it you are 80% of the way there.

I Just Can’t Do That

Really? Why is that? Millions and millions of people around the world are using computers every day and you… you are one of those ‘special people’ who just can’t? Did somebody tell you that you couldn’t? Maybe you just don’t want to. Maybe you are clutching so tightly to your ‘buggy whip’ that you are not willing to even explore the possibility that you are a lot more capable than you imagine.

Remember what John Maxwell says; “Leaders are lifelong learners. When you stop learning, you stop leading”.

Taking Options Off The Table

“No one lies to us to the degree that we lie to ourselves” Dr. Toni Grant

Several years ago one of my best friends was going through an extremely difficult time in her life. She was at a point where she had to make some difficult choices. The most difficult thing to get her to see is that she was making her situation so much worse because she was automatically, without thinking, keeping viable options off the table.

She had a list of ‘must haves’ that would choke a horse. They never entered her mind as choices she could reconsider that would have made her current situation more manageable. She had made choices in an earlier time and would not even allow them to be reconsidered. Just because you chose something at one point in your life doesn’t mean it is still a good choice that is still working for you.

A 2^nd example is another friend of mine who at one time worked in commercial real estate and was very successful. At a later time in her life when she moved into other areas, she spoke to me about what life was like for her during that period. If her checking account got below $100,000 she began to feel insecure. She completely changed her life in the ensuing years and when she came into my life was able to laugh at the idea of insecurity because of a bank account less than $100,000. Requiring a checking account with no less than $100,000 to feel secure is a very limiting choice.

Check Your Perspective

Much of our difficulty in life happens between our ears and often can be attributed to a skewed perspective. If you are resisting the idea of embracing technology, it might be helpful to examine your ‘off the table’ choices. Maybe you have some ‘security issue’ similar to my friend who freaked out if her bank account got ‘low’.

Make New Choices

Choice is your most powerful ally. Don’t deceive yourself into believing you don’t have any or seeing them as very limited. Are you clutching tightly to a ‘buggy whip’ you no longer need? You might find it helpful to review the Activity Mind Map to assess your skill sets and design a step by step learning plan. Making a choice to embrace the technologies is what enable us to Cash Flow the World. Reviewing the Activity Mind Map may help to stimulate your thinking and you may find that you have more choices than you imagined.