Seismic Shifts: What They Mean for You
In a previous article, I have pinpointed political, strategic, and economic shifts happening as I write this article, and as you read it.
I attempt to break down these shifts into actionable insights for you. For a start, as hinted in the article above, despite hardships, the endgame is always that of clear intents and prevalent justice. Acknowledging the fact is necessary to help motivate your actions.
Preliminaries
The point we are at now has been in the making for years. Let us start by considering the financial meltdown that caught us off-guard a decade ago. Alarms were sounded over a system in which valuations, under the forces of futures, options, and shorts, overshoot the gross domestic product. As if the alarms weren’t loud enough, based on his intentions of peace, we have awarded the Nobel peace prize to a president who authorized drone bombing of civilian social gatherings because terrorists are unlikely to “miss out”. Soon enough, alarms were sounding in the political realm with politicians blatantly turning into entertainers.
We have to admit that the COVID crisis has suddenly made us more aware of our realities. It has made us unaccepting of public officials dragging their tails as they continue to bear the weight of their duties unfulfilled. It has reminded us that fiat currency is an act of deception, with interest being a transgression against universal laws of efforts, not money, yielding value, transacted money. We rediscovered that education is to be sought, not passed down, and that one must seek knowledge fully to be able to attain it even partially. Most importantly, it has suddenly made us more aware of our homes, our localities, and surroundings, despite the distancing measures.
Be clear about your motives
As you are forced to take a break from the “hustle”, remember to be intentional. As the age of all-in comes to an end, be intentional so that you may utilize the tools of our age. The exacerbated hardships, the pressure, you are going through, should help you further crystalize who you are. Life is a process of self-building, not self-discovery, that does not end until death does you and your soul apart. As such, build from the foundations up. Rediscover that you are here to allow life to thrive, and build your motives to be larger than yourself.
Dare to plan, even as global pandemics shrug at your schedules
We are innately creative as humans. Draw out what motivates you, the world you would like to strive for, and plan. Dare to plan, even as global pandemics shrug at your schedules. Make sure your plans are attached to dreams, not to realizations, so that you may be stringent about your motives, but flexible about your ways. Attending Harvard Law School is not a goal, but one possible pathway amongst many to your motive of a just world, to the goal of advocating for the unheard. Be intentional, and remember that the work done is the fruit of intention.
Take an audacious stand
Our new age affords us the luxury of clarity. From office sloths, to tyrant regimes, and influencers who can no longer keep up with their advertised lifestyle, everyone is coming out of their cloaks, to be able to persist in these unprecedented times. As you suddenly realize that currencies are being printed out of thin air, and governments and organizations are willing to sacrifice long-tooted causes — liberation, democracy, prosperity — for the sake of pragmatic gains, be pragmatic. However, be pragmatic with your worldview in sight, with your plans on paper, with a long-term vision not to be sacrificed for short-term gains.
Be sure not to forget who you are beneath that mask
As all masks are dropped, revealing realities in stark contrast to their brands, you have to make it clear where you stand. As agendas are negotiated, be sure to not condemn what you are against, but clearly support the world, the locality, you want to live in. Find your Standing Rock. If you care about healthcare, advocate for its workers. Dethrone false idols. Feeding young minds, and operating old hearts are more important than overvaluing games, inflated by beers and bets. Building a chaste family with a supportive partner is by no way reached through contemplating lustful dates. Adding value, and allowing the economy to circulate, is not achievable by stacking interest rates. Survive, but do not sacrifice yourself for short-term gains. You might have to go out of your way or put on a mask, but be sure not to forget who you are beneath that mask.
Improve, innovate and add value
Contribute
You might be restocking shelves in your local supermarket, or orchestrating the next robotic revolution. Whatever you are doing, be sure to see the full picture, the people you are serving, the chain reactions you are enabling. Whatever you are doing, do it diligently. Improve, innovate, and add value. The pandemic has reminded us of the need to reward those who are contributing to the world, not simply “hustling”, hacking value off others’ work. Trucking, bringing a product closer to where it is useful, adds value. Establishing a factory, where processes are facilitated for workers to make their own contribution, adds value. Giving a killer presentation about a bird-eye solution to an emergent problem, while leaving out the fundamental issue for its complexity, does not. After you rest from the hard work you’ve put in to contribute, pay it forward, and guide others on their efforts. Be aware, even confident, of the value you are adding, and the problem you are solving. This doesn’t have to fit within your job description, but it requires that you are present to greet a mother, pat a brother, and help a neighbor.
In brief, the situation got us locked down, forcing us to face ourselves and our realities. We are left with no choice but to be honest about our intentions, earnest about our work, and elated about our worldview. A translation of this into Startup language, and what the seismic shifts mean to a sprouting firm, is left for the next article.
