One Step Ahead Or Several Steps Behind?

We live in an era where technology is developing with a breakneck speed and what was unbelievable yesterday is outdated tomorrow. Change is the only constant thing in life and those who understand this and act accordingly, can have a competitive advantage.

Mentality and mindset plays a huge role in life and can be an advantage if you have the right one, or the cause of your failure otherwise. There's even a saying according to which:

No one can save your from yourself.

Sounds brutal, but it's true and valid for so many these days, unfortunately.

I spent a small part of my early life in a society where thinking was not encouraged at all. Having your own opinion, which in most of the cases (if not all) was against the national politics and interest could got you in life threatening trouble. As soon as that era was over, I knew personal development has to be first on my priority list and most likely I will stop learning and studying the day I close my eyes for the last time, but not sooner.

This attitude was not the norm though and I had to pay the price for being a bit different than the average. If I'd have a penny for each time I've been told how stupid I am for paying for courses and spending my free time studying, I'd be filthy rich.

The thing is, this is a process that never ends, however, you also need to know which direction to choose. Seeing into the future is impossible, but anticipating what the future possibly holds is not. Going blindly and spending years by refusing to see how life is changing is an option, no one can force you to walk a different path or try to change your life, but it has consequences, unpleasant ones.

The job market is one of the most important one, as we all have to earn our living, but it's also among the ones changing the most (in my opinion anyway). Some jobs will be history in a couple of years while others will disappear gradually, but it is certain that some of the positions will not be needed anymore. The work will be taken over by apps, AI and individuals themselves.

I remember a couple of decades ago many would have killed to have a job in a bank because it was a high paid job. Today most of those jobs don't exist anymore because there's no need for them. We do our banking and as cash is not needed as much anymore, ATMs and POSs are handling the the rest.

Customer support is already taken over by AI and those who are handling clients are just a part of what they used to be and the process of diminishing the number continues.

If you've ever had a job, you most likely know that people are of all kinds and there are those who work in key position, but are totally incompetent and the only reason they can still hold their position is because others are covering for them. I met several of them over the years and they are all the same. Hungry for power, ready to do everything they can to climb the ladder, not because they are smart, but because most of the times they are cutting corners and make others look bad. Their only goal is to be superior and show off and these are the worst kind if you ask me. Useless, stupid people.

Not that it is my problem, or causes me sleepless nights, but I was wondering what these people are going to do, when there will be no one to bully or boss around to do their jobs as apps and machines can't be bullied.

With all the technology and development available today, being and employee is not the only way to earn your living. You can be a millionaire at the age of 20, as so many are today. You can create so many revolutionary things on your own, that can result in gaining financial independence for the rest of your life, or even generational wealth, but for that to happen, you need to be several steps ahead and not wait for others to feed you. As an individual, it's your responsibility to shape your own future.