Whether you prefer predictability or uncertainty, the only certainty is change: New ideas and technologies are rapidly changing the way we communicate, interact and transact.
For example, look at bitcoin – one application of blockchain technology. Love it or hate it, bitcoin (and other digital currencies) is an extremely volatile and often unpredictable cryptocurrency that is revolutionising transactions by removing the go-between (the bank, in this instance). Instead, it is creating peer-to-peer opportunities like saving money and increasing online privacy for individuals. Although cryptocurrencies are causing major disruption and uncertainty in the financial and other industries, they can potentially make payments faster, easier and cheaper.
New ideas and technology are inevitable. In addition, Covid-19 has increased the pace of change. Many people quickly transitioned to working and communicating virtually as a direct result of the pandemic. Maybe you surprised yourself at how well you adapted to a world you didn’t really imagine you’d be part of (or part of so soon!).
“It always seems impossible until it is done.”
– Nelson Mandela
4 fabulous tips for being more open to new ideas and technology
1. Look out for opportunities everywhere
If the idea of constant change and new technology overwhelms or worries you, try and look at things differently. Opportunities exist everywhere; it’s up to you to notice them. At the beginning of the pandemic, while many people starting panicking and stocking up on basic supplies like toilet paper, others started their own online businesses selling in-demand products – home gym equipment, for example. They saw an opportunity caused by the crisis, and never had to look back again.
In times of change, focus on what you can gain rather than what you may lose along the way.
2. Learn to speak less and listen more
Do you spend more time speaking or really listening to what others are saying? Research suggests that we are poor listeners as we only remember 25-50% of what we hear. Try speaking less and listening more. By actively listening, you become open to new ideas rather than accepting only the status quo or thinking the same old way. You gain new perspectives and insights.
“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.”
– Stephen Covey
3. Take little steps out of your comfort zone
Entering the growth zone where you become more receptive to new ideas and change requires you to step out of your comfort zone.
Experiment with something small like trying out a new recipe or restaurant. You may be pleasantly surprised at how much you enjoy the experience – which you can see as a little incentive to take a slightly bigger step out of your comfort zone next time round.
4. Be more resilient
Disappointments and failures are part of life and part of success. You cannot have success without a few failures. But if you anticipate these failures and accept (or even embrace) them as part of the process, you become more willing to change direction and try something new. You bounce back more easily, and adapt to the way things are rather than wallowing in the way you wish things were.
Accepting change by being open to new ideas and technology helps you adapt more easily to and keep up with a fast-changing world, rather than leaving you feeling completely lost or overwhelmed along the way. It even improves your mental health, and keeps life fresh and interesting.
Learn more about technological disruption caused by bitcoin and blockchain technology at the Blockchain Academy.
