This is what being cool looked like in 1994...

What guy didn’t want to be like Zack Morris from Saved by the Bell? King of the school? A cell phone? Kelly Kapowski?!?! Come on, man!

Unfortunately for me, the closest I came to being Zack was using my Motorola “brick” phone to close weekend houseparty gigs. (I obviously didn’t inherit the good hair genes!)

While having the cell phone did help me grow my business, there was one thing that happened in 1994 that would forever change the world as we know it.

🌐 THE INTERNET

This was the cover of Time Magazine on July 25th, 1994, about a month after I graduated from high school…

And this was the sub-headline for the cover story…

“The world's largest computer network, once the playground of scientists, hackers and gearheads, is being overrun by lawyers, merchants and millions of new users. Is there room for everyone?”

Crazy, right?

And shortly after that article was published, we started getting these in the mail from AOL...

“You’ve got Mail!” (if you’re old enough to remember this, I bet you just played that jingle in your head!)

That was only 26 years ago. 

I say “only” because in the grand scheme of things, that wasn’t that long ago. Yet look at all of the advances we’ve seen in technology. All the changes, good and bad, that we’ve experienced. All because of this “strange world” called the Internet.

How many new industries, careers, and opportunities have been born and continue to evolve because of the internet? Countless.

So was there room for everyone on the internet? 

Yes, and then some! 

And there is even more room in today’s emerging technologies.

Things like Artificial intelligence, Machine Learning, Coding, Data Science, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality…

Hell, it’s quite possible that the most important jobs 5 years from now may not exist yet! 

🎓 Never Stop Learning & Adapting

So how do you stay in the game? Never stop learning and be willing to change.

In 1994, the top jobs/careers included things like lawyers, doctors, and accountants.

Today, the top 3 jobs in the U.S. according to this Medium article are AI Specialist, Data Scientist, and Robotics Engineer. Cyber Security Specialist also made the Top 5.

Even if you never intend to pursue a career in those fields, it is important to at least be informed about them as, just like the internet did two decades ago, these technologies will shape our future sooner rather than later.

You need to keep sharpening your saw. Seeking continuous improvement and renewal of your skills.

The way I do this is that I challenge myself to learn something new every week. Whether it’s a new skill, or a general understanding of a topic I’m not familiar with, I take courses, watch videos, or read up on a new trend.

I usually start on YouTube and then go deeper if I find the subject interesting. I use sites like Skillshare, Udemy, and EdX.org. (EdX is awesome! It offers free courses from some of the world's top universities and companies for free)

Here are just a few of the courses that I find interesting:

• A.I. for Everyone: Master the Basics
• Essentials of Data Science

I don’t just look at emerging technologies or business courses either… This year alone I’ve learned about gardening, cooking, health, cars, woodworking, video production, and more.

The key is to always be learning something new and like David Bowie sang, learn to accept the “Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes.”

Because the more you know, and the quicker you can adapt to the ‘New’, the more value you can add to everything you do.

So what are you going to learn about this week? Let me know if there’s anything you find interesting that I should learn about too!

💡 More Thoughts, Big Ideas, & Cool Stuff

These are the things that I’m thinking about, listening to, watching, reading, discovering, or enjoying this week. Click the links and enjoy them with me.

🎭 Hire a virtual actor - Synthesia.io - Need to create awesome videos for work or for your website but don’t want to be on camera? Hire a virtual actor! Through the magic of AI, Synthesia will allow you to create a professional video by just providing their system with a script. It’s as simple as writing an email! Mindblowing 🤯

🏬 Buy a business - Looking to start a side business or add to your existing business but don’t have the time to get it started? Maybe you should consider buying an existing web based business. MicroAcquire, Flippa, and the Exchange Marketplace are good places to start your search.

🎪 Host a Virtual Event - COVID has changed everything about the way we do business, including the way we attend events. Don’t let travel restrictions and social distancing prevent you from putting on your annual customer conference or tradeshow. Go virtual with a service like SwapCard.

As always, keep coming up with ideas, dreaming big, and taking action! (and don’t forget to learn something new this week 🎓)

‘Till next time...

Ralph Q out!

P.S. - Can you help me by sharing this with a friend? Just forward them this email or send them this link: http://ralphq.com/newsletter so they can sign up. You can also send them here http://ralphq.com/past-issues to read past issues.