The world is changing.

by Hugh MacLeod

Some people are hip to it, others are not. If you want to be able to afford groceries in 5years, Iʼd recommend listening closely to the former and avoiding the latter. Just my two cents. Your job is probably worth 50% what it was in real terms 10 years ago. And who knows? It may very well not exist in 5-10 years. We all saw the traditional biz model in my industry, advertising, start going down the tubes10 years or so ago. Our first reaction was “work harder.” It didnʼt work. People got shafted in the thousands. Itʼs a cold world out there.

We thought being talented would save our asses. We thought working late and weekends would save our asses. Nope.

We thought the Internet and all that Next Big Thing, new media and new technology stuff would save our asses. We thought it would fill in the holes in the ever-more-intellectually bankrupt solutions we were offering our clients. Nope

Whatever. Regardless of how the world changes, regardless of what new technologies, business models and social architectures are coming down the pike, the one thing “The New Realities” cannot take away from you is trust.

The people you trust and vice versa, this is what will feed you and pay for your kidsʼ college.Nothing else.

This is true if youʼre an artist, writer, doctor, techie, lawyer, banker, or bartender. I.e., stop worrying about technology. Start worrying about people who trust you.

In order to navigate The New Realities you have to be creative-not just within your particular profession, but in EVERYTHING. Your way of looking at the world will need to become evermore fertile and original. And this isnʼt just true for artists, writers, techies, Creative Directors and CEOs; this is true for EVERYBODY. Janitors, receptionists and bus drivers, too. The game has just been ratcheted up a notch.

The old ways are dead. And you need people around you who concur.

That means hanging out more with the creative people, the freaks, the real visionaries, than youʼre already doing. Thinking more about what their needs are, and responding accordingly. It doesnʼt matter what industry weʼre talking about-architecture, advertising, petro-chemicals theyʼre around, theyʼre easy enough to find if you make the effort, if youʼve got some-thing worthwhile to offer in return. Avoid the dullards; avoid the folk who play it safe. They canʼt help you anymore. Their stability model no longer offers that much stability.