Daily Inspiration: "Invest in kindness" - Futurist Jim Carroll
If you follow me, you might get a sense that I tend to have a rather compassionate soul.
After all, last year, my 23 Trends for 2023 series identified the trend wherein people were 'doubling down on dignity.' I try, as much as I can, to live a life that is rooted in kindness towards others.
In that post, shared my despair with our current reality:
"Sometimes it does seem like the world has gone mad – extremely divisive politics, a rise in hate crimes, absolute emotional terrorism on social networks, attacks on public institutions, and increasing violence. Everyone has a feeling that things are getting out of hand. That’s why trend #12 on my “23 Trends for 2023” is the issue of “Doubling Down on Dignity.”
And yet, within the despair, I always seem to find an opportunity for hope:
"I believe in 2023, both people and organizations will find they are spending more time doing so – focusing more on lifting people up rather than tearing them down.
This year, I found my opportunities for hope by watching individuals who were doing good in the world. Despite all the madness, rage, and hate, I did manage to find the decency and humanity within some people. In particular, I want to tell you the story of someone I never met and who do not personally know, but who I drew much strength and inspiration through the year. Meet Cheri Garcia, ex-meth addict and alcoholic, someone who now gives ex-convicts second chances and a new life through her Dallas-based company, Cornbread Hustle.
Her story is the basis for strategy #17 of my 24 Strategies for 2024 series. Invest in kindness.
Daily Inspiration: "Don't forget the obvious" - Futurist Jim Carroll
I've long noticed that many people like to chase the hot trends. In doing so, they forget all about the obvious ones, with the result that they miss out on so many opportunities. Busy chasing the shiny new toy, they fail to find the joy in the old, well-used toy that is right next to them.
When I began my speaking career, most of my events were in my home country of Canada. I often shared the agenda and the stage with a University of Toronto demography professor by the name of David Foot. The book he co-authored, Boom, Bust and Echo: How to Profit from the Coming Demographic Shift, was at the time a national bestseller (as was one of mine!). The book took a look at understanding the past and forecasting the future through the lens of demographics.
The boom? Baby boomers. The bust? Gen-X. And the echo? Today's 35-and-under generation is the technology-weaned, social media-driven generation. The numbers for this demographic breakdown are staggering - 78, 46, and 76 million strong.
So much of what David predicted in his book and on the stage turned out to be correct - because it was so blindingly obvious. I often had the chance to listen to his words of wisdom while waiting offstage for my follow-up keynote on the impact of the Internet, connectivity, and accelerating technology. To me, so much of what I was sharing at the time was blindingly obvious - big things will happen when we plug together everyone around the world.
People often forget about the obvious stuff - and shouldn't - because that is so often the crucible of much opportunity.
That's why this is strategy #12 of my 24 Strategies for 2024 series.
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Organise Magazine: **Dispatch from Khartoum #12 | International**
""... The electricity and water supply line has been disrupted since last Saturday due to artillery shelling, and the maintenance crew has been prevented by the Rapid Support militia and the army militia."