“In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.” – Eric Hoffer
A shift of this scale in the economy hasn’t happened since the industrial revolution. It’s an awkward time for so many as they are finding themselves replaced by foreign workers or robots. Some of the jobs are gone forever with many others are on the way.
The only way to really stay relevant in times of change is to have a growth mindset as opposed to a fixed mindset. There is a talent in recognizing which industries are experiencing a temporary recession and which are forever recessions and acting accordingly.
The growth mindset recognizes change is difficult, but necessary in order to survive. A person with the growth mindset can pivot into other industries or opportunities without losing their footing.
The person with the fixed mindset becomes stuck. Everything they’ve known and worked for has suddenly been swept away. As the quote from the brilliant Eric Hofffer says, “the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.”
This is the great divide in our current economy. People who see nothing but opportunity and others who watch everything they know be taken away, left rudderless.
There is opportunity, but only for those comfortable with the pain of learning and adapting.