Living in a Blender

“We are at this place where we’ve never been before.  The great rewrite is about a fundamental resetting of this planet’s operating system.” – Leonard Brody

Living in a Blender

I wasn’t at home.  When I looked around I could see that if there was a place that could be called the opposite of my home, this was it!  Leonard Brody was standing directly in front of me and when he began speaking I realized that he was the perfect companion for my current dislocation.

“We are at this place where we’ve never been before.  The great rewrite is about a fundamental resetting of this planet’s operating system.”  He said.  Then he continued, “Life today is like living in a blender!”

I found myself nodding to his words like a metronome. 

Do you ever feel as if you used to live on dry ground and now find yourself living on a sea with its large swells constantly impacting you?  If you do, it’s for good reason.

Leonard gave me these examples. “The largest personal transportation business in the world doesn’t own any vehicles.  Uber.  The largest media business in the world produces no content. Facebook.  The largest telecom business has no phone lines.  Skype.  And, the largest hospitality business in the world owns no hotels and has no hotel rooms. Airbnb.  We live on a completely different planet based on the network effect.”

Have you and I been so focused on living our day-to-day lives that we haven’t been seeing the network effect change our life’s whole picture?  Have you and I consciously noticed that we’re living in yesterday’s science fiction movies?  And, is there a path we can blaze through this confusion toward better, more peaceful living?

Yes!  Here are four key, innovation-world trailblazing principles for you to consider.

First. Be brave.  In our old world, it would cost millions of dollars to disrupt societal norms and business.  Now, in the innovation-world, we are all on a much more even playing field, since we have instant access to information, education and networks of people.  Be brave enough to see how you can simplify the complexities faced by your neighbors and become a trusted navigator.

Second. Have a growth mindset.  This might also be called a “Learn it all” mindset.  Look at the issues of life, business, education and leisure in great detail so you can begin to see if patterns of simplification and delivery are revealed as opportunities for the taking.  Becoming an expert will give you peace of mind as well as a path and window to the future.

Third, Turn lemons into lemonade.  When something knocks you out of your comfort zone ask yourself, “What can I learn from this?” and then seek answers.  Doing so will allow you to move forward so you aren’t living a life filled with recrimination and sorrow.  You’ll find life’s greatest joys will be yours as you make new discoveries and feel the accomplishments of growth.

Fourth.  Reinvent yourself constantly.  The path of discovery is one of surprise and delight.  Following the first three steps will automatically cause you to become a new and exciting person every day.  Embrace the new you and look forward to your newer version as your reinventions are revealed!

All versions of a blender can be dangerous and scary things and the blender we’re living in is no exception.   At the same time, they can be used as a tool to create exciting new versions & combinations of every day, standard ingredients.  No, you and I aren’t living in the place we used to call home.  We aren’t living the lives of the millions of people who have gone before.  So, let’s use the four key, innovation-world trailblazing principles as a tool so we can blend up the most wonderful planet and lives we can imagine!