Trying to keep abreast of every new thing that comes with using the internet seems, at the least, an overwhelming task, like swimming upstream without any chance of catching your breath. Three key changes keep you running. Just when you think that you've finally grasped some new technical savvy moment, you find out that it has either been replaced or discounted.
In my race, to at least catch up to what my children or students might have already deemed last year's model, I have determined there are three key changes shaping the "Speedy Gonzales" of the internet race: population changes, philosophical changes, and technical changes. Here's how these three key groups determine the direction of the race:
1. Population changes:
As more people globally demand internet accessibility, the nerds find a solution by evolving technical upgrades to help us out; but they are really keeping us behind as we try to catch up with their changes. China has the largest number of human population using the internet for the ease and mobility of research capabilities. These are reinforced by the encouraging results they receive with online research.
Oh, and let's not forget the aging boomers as the leading population demographic. We find that the most questions searched online relate to health problems. 31% of users indicate that they were definitely helped by following internet medical advice or getting some health information. What this tells us is, as more people use the internet, the harder it is to stay ahead of the group; it just keeps growing.
2. Philosophical changes:
Our environment, social, and climate changes are global shocks to all of us in our journey of life. So, where do we turn in this often violent and chaotic world? We turn inwardly to our spiritual models to find passion, success, and happiness. These philosophical motivations lead us to the internet looking for solutions from the past and in the present, while imagining the future.
Finding our way also sends us through the current of economic tides of how to make money online. The gurus of success and happiness tell us to be authentic in the process as we seek to extract dollars on our way down the river. Philosophically, we want a change from the accumulation of wealth and want to focus on: peacefulness within; connection to family; fun and accomplishment as we survive the struggle of the journey.
So, the internet allows us to be a global citizen and friend in an instant, through blogging, forums, and community discussion, and interactions online as we find ourselves. The race becomes loaded with new formats to learn beyond the e-mail and face book, to a growing list of social media networks. Yikes!
3. Technology changes:
In my race to keep up with the technology changes I became very hopeful as I set up a website, wrote articles, and wrote an eBook. I felt that I too had educational leadership and kept pace with social change using the tools of internet technology. I provided solutions to humankind in their quest to stay competitive in today's fast-paced electronic world, by providing training for vocal skills for presentations, teleconferences, podcasts, videos, commercials, narrative, and other audio marketing products. My aim was to improve the sound of their voice so they could win their listeners to their message.
So, the next follow-up step was to expand my training to a convenient online course. After all everyone seems to be teaching somebody with an online series of videos. So, I signed onto "Teaching Sells" which I find will lead me to the finish line in my race to take it all in.
