Today at work I got a phone call from an irritated industry veteran, angry and confused about why my team had handled an announcement the way we had. I explained our strategy and he told me he didn’t see how that could be considered a strategy. Simply put, we are doing things the new way.
I felt bad for him. I like things the old way too, but now we have the new way.
I love the new way. It is challenging. It is exciting. It is constant change. I’m not old, but I still find myself feeling behind from time to time. It takes work and you have to keep up. That is half the fun.
I don’t know who said it, but it’s true: you can’t stop technology, so you might as well find a way to leverage it for your use.
Someone else said you’re not old till you stop learning. I say you’re not old till you stop trying new things. I feared that if I had brought up Twitter on my appeasing phone call today, I might have put the person on the other end of the phone in the hospital.
I’m not saying that everyone needs to tweet about Bieber Fever on their iPads 24/7, but as soon as you shut out the next big thing, you’re making yourself un-relatable. You’re isolating yourself. What exactly are you trying to prove by not participating in Facebook, for example? You think that leaving yourself out is going to convince millions of people that what they’re doing is a waste of time?
If this is how people are talking, I guess you better join the conversation…if you want to be heard.
I’m fixating on technology here, but it goes for just about everything. Young people are the future, and if you want to stay young, keep asking questions. Find out what the kids are doing these days. It doesn’t mean you have to agree with what they’re doing. Even when I was a kid, I was disagreeing with what the kids were doing.
In short: curiosity is what makes youth young, and I hope to stay young by keeping curious about what’s current.
Anyone else run into this? Do you ever feel like you’re getting prematurely old because you don’t understand the new way of doing something?
6 comments:
I don't want to get old either - actually it's been my worst fear... I think I'm afraid of getting old and become crippled mentally/emotionally more than physcially. Not being able to understand what's out there scares me....
Maki - yes! That is my fear too.
Amen sista! Keep up with the technology... don't be anti-facebook.
Totally. When I got back from my mish I didn't know what Facebook was, and I just got my first ipod from Sam at Christmas! Haha! I've wanted to do things the "old way" but have discovered technology is pretty amazing! Partake people! That's what it's there for, and it makes life a lot easier and more enjoyable.
Hope all is well! I want to meet up with you and Mark at some point... Must update you both and also pick Mark's brain about Toronto! xox
Well said. For me, I don't participate in some of the new stuff, not because I want to prove a point, but because I don't feel a need. I figure once I see a personal benefit, I'll jump in with both feet, but until then, I'm okay with letting others blaze trails for me.
That is why I'm a late adopter.
T-Ray: Seriously, what would we do without Facebook?! Also, I feel another girls lunch is in order after your diet is over.
Penny: Yes, call me!!
Nathan: I respect that. I think the key is that you know what's going on, even if you aren't participating.
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