Thriving in the modern digital age is not about owning the latest gadgets. It has also nothing to do with constantly checking up on the latest happenings around social media. Let’s get real then about what it takes to be successful in the digital era,
First of all, you must realize that it is crucial to embrace a progressive mindset in the digital age. That means, you must be constantly training yourself to foster continuous learning, adaptability, and resilience.
As you may expect, I’ve met some older adults who are doing the opposite. Instead of being progressive, they wish technology remains stagnant. This is a detrimental mindset, because eventually they will unwittingly fall into a state of being left out of a technological driven society.
Do you realize that we are only three decades into living in the digital age? Even at this early stage, we can already see unprecedented opportunities for innovations, connections, and productivity. In order to truly excel though, we must become more than mere users of technology. It is actually mastery over technology that we should be striving for! Only then can we be more adept at recognizing opportunities as well as detect dangers that lurk around in the digital world.
Let’s dive-in then and explore some productive mindsets and practical tech skills that would enable us to thrive in the digital age.
Be Curious of Technology in the Digital Age
Curiosity is a deeply ingrained nature of mankind that has driven great individuals to explore new ideas, lands and forge new frontiers. Likewise, we can also apply this trait to new technologies too.
Rather than dream about living a simple life without technology, it will be wiser to ask questions and seek out information about new digital trends. When you think about it, a life without technology is actually not simple. Just imagine if technology never advances.
Do you really want to live in a time where people are riding horses to move around? Riding a horse might be fun during a holiday in the wilderness but in high density urban areas, just imagine the filth in the streets littered with horse shit. Can you also imagine if air travel never existed? I will leave those notions for you to ponder.
Adopt a Mindset to Adapt to Changes in the Digital Age
Living in a tech-centric world means you must expect things around you to be ever-changing. This means you should train yourself to be adaptable if you want to advance further in the digital age. When you possess an agile mindset, your ability to learn new things and embrace changes will be quickened. With this prowess in mind, you will be more prepared to tackle the challenges of digital life.
On the other hand, a stiff or tech-resistant mindset will cause the individual to be fixated on outdated technologies. This might come at the cost of rejecting better, safer and more efficient innovations. As King Solomon stated – it it not wise to ask why were the old days better ~ Ecclesiastes 7:10. For myself, I’d certainly pay attention to the words from a great king that have proven to be valid even after thousands of years.
Cultivate A Problem Solving Mindset
Technology often presents problems that need to be rectified on-the-spot. Needing to call-in a tech professional for every little bit of problem can prove to be troublesome and costly. So, why not enrol in some online tech courses that will teach you some DIY tech skills?
In addition, cultivating a problem solving mindset would elevate you in any profession you work in. A person who is dependable is usually also a person who can help solve problems. You may not be aware of it, but such a mindset actually helps you to overcome other challenges in life too.
Critical Thinking Keeps Negativism At Bay
There is a lot of negative sentiment nowadays about how artificial intelligence (AI) will remove jobs and render mankind obsolete. This kind of sentiment is mostly derived from science fiction movies that depict robots as killing machines with no emotions.
A healthy dose of skepticism certainly helps you to be wary of pitfalls of technology. However, it is actually not going to hinder the advancement of artificial intelligence and robotics. It is thus more beneficial to seek more knowledge on the capabilities of AI and understand how emerging technologies may affect jobs.
Adopt a Growth Mindset To Thrive in the Digital Age
In order to thrive in today’s digitized world, you must firmly believe that your abilities in technology can improve with effort and learning. For example, you can begin by committing yourself to spending 300 hours to complete a coding bootcamp. It is also quite trendy for mid-career workers to learn updated tech skills in order to reap the lucrative benefits of a tech career.
Striving to be more tech-savvy can be beneficial for individuals of any age or gender. Employers are constantly on the hunt for professionals who possess sound tech skills combined with a strong aptitude for teamwork and leadership. Even if you no longer work full-time, you will come to appreciate being more tech-savvy, especially if you live in a modern smart city.
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