The systems that once seemed empowering are now looking like outdated relics, no longer relevant to the world we’re living in…
– The education system which once guaranteed a secure, well-paid job at the end of it, now appears to yield nothing more than years upon years of debt and no guarantee of a job to help pay that debt back. [Tip: Check out Lambda School for disruption at its finest; this is a true game-changer.]
– The healthcare system which was once at the forefront of eradicating devastating diseases and advancing and equalising healthcare and treatment for all, is now run by folk focused largely on profit and driven by corporate agendas.
– The world of work which once guaranteed a job for life with a hefty pension at the end of it (requiring not much else but loyalty in some cases!) has changed beyond recognition in many fields, with temporary contracts replacing permanent jobs, remote-first companies, and the ongoing struggle for a level playing field around salaries/wages and fully equal opportunities.
And despite these pretty pivotal changes, most folk are still caught on the same hamster wheel path, unable to see what’s coming (or is already here) and/or do anything about it. We still hear and often heed the same old advice to achieve ‘success’…
“Work hard and get as many qualifications as you can, especially a degree from a good uni…it’ll set you up for life.“
“Just listen to what the doctor told you; don’t go and see some woo-woo ‘quack’, they have no idea what they’re doing.”
“Don’t take any risks, career-wise, stick with the job you’ve got/on the path you’re on, you’re lucky to have it. It’s too risky to try something else!
“You can’t make any money from your writing/art/creative talent…you’ll have to get a ‘sensible’ job if you want to be rich and taken seriously.“
Seriously? If you’re still listening to this advice (or hearing these – your parents’? – voices in your head), why? Is it still serving you?
Do you have the career you’ve always dreamed of or are you still harbouring secret, unspoken desires to do something more?
Is your autoimmune/niggling health issue being healed from the inside out, or are the symptoms simply being treated for ‘comfort’ and ‘quality of life’?
Are you at the weight and level of health you desire from following your doctor’s/the medical system’s advice? (Hint: They are trained to treat dis-ease, NOT optimise wellness).
Are you actually using the knowledge and skills you learned in your undergraduate degree in a meaningful way in your career, without the need for additional courses and training or a boatload of hands-on experience?
But rejoice! it’s not all doom and gloom! Alongside these changes are other enriching and empowering developments…
We have a voice!
The rise of social media has given a voice to the individual; we have direct and public access to brands, personalities, media outlets, journalists through a variety of channels. When we want to, we can use the power of collaboration, community and crowdfunding to make ourselves be heard in ways we never could before; this is truly powerful.
We have knowledge at our fingertips!
We have access to more learning tools and resources from around the world (e.g. Khan Academy, eLearning platforms, plus a plethora of online courses and more) than at any other time in history…from the comfort of our own home and often for free; this is truly powerful.
We want more!
Our exposure to what’s possible has exploded; we are surrounded by YouTube sensations, personalities who at first appear to have few skills and yet make millions, and role models of all shapes, ages, races and sizes. We want more from our jobs – we want what we do, day in and day out, to make a difference and matter. We want more from our stuff – the sharing economy with the likes of AirBnB – empowers us to get more from our ‘stuff’ and possessions than ever before.
If you’re still stuck in the ‘old’ systems – and that includes your own mental/thought patterns of ‘But Lea, this is just the way things are done!’ – what are you waiting for? How are the ‘old’ ways still serving you?
The world has indeed changed – and is still changing – are you ready to try new strategies to get you to where you really want to go?