Q: How can I prepare for a changing future?
A: By continuing to learn, rather than trusting what you already know.
“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
Being well studied in what worked yesterday doesn’t help you face tomorrow when today is changing.
Learners anticipate rather than react to change.
The Learned resist change and insist the world should be as they learned it.
When you’re not sure what to learn, learn things that don’t change: Things like human nature and behavior economics. Regardless of how much technology or change is introduced people will gravitate towards greed and status, will fight over scarce resources, and incentives will determine output.
Next, study how to think: concepts like first-principal thinking, 2nd-order effects, and how to “think in bets”.
The times they are a-changin’, so I hope you haven’t stopped learning.
Actionable Question: What is one thing I’ve learned that was true in the past, but is no longer applicable?
-Andrew Nemeth