By Ahsan Khan
Do you remember VHS tapes and going to the local video store to rent new release movies on a Friday night? That’s gone. Do you remember going to the local hardware store to pick up a few screws or a screwdriver? That’s gone too. How about playing board games like Ludo or getting lost driving to a new shopping mall or developing pictures from your pocket camera and throwing out the crappy pictures? These are distant memories like seeing horses and buggies on every street corner.
The world is changing fast. New technologies are transforming and disrupting the way things are done. If we are to get ahead of these changes and not become extinct, we need to reassess what our present results are. More importantly, we need to assess what the likelihood is of being relevant in the next five years.
The world will look radically different in just five years, wouldn’t you agree?
So what can you do to block and deflect the oncoming karate chop?
The problem is that trends and changes are “new” and, the probable outcomes are not easy to predict. The changes could lead to many different scenarios. Will AI and robotics enhance your effectiveness or make you obsolete? What will that mean for your paycheck or company profits?
The best advice I have is to be a keen student of your industry and read up on what is going on. If you do this with consistency, you may be able to see the picture unfolding better and get ahead of the curve.
To focus yourself on some intentional thinking and proactive action, you will be well served if you ask yourself the following three questions:
1. What should I stop doing?
2. What should I start doing?
3. What should I keep doing?
Whether you are an employee, manager, or business owner, you ought to ask these questions at least every six months. If you start with a blank piece of paper and think on paper, you should be well on your way to greater heights.
Be honest and surgical about your answers. These are simple but powerful questions. The first time I looked at them I thought scoffed. The second time I thought about them I began to clue in and the third time I contemplated the questions and let a few answers flash in my mind, I was humbled.
What do you think?
Just suppose your job or business had a chance to grow and crush your biggest targets, would you take an afternoon and spend the several hours that these questions deserve?
Change is an opportunity to develop yourself and rocket ahead of the competition.