Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Resisting Technology? How to Motivate Yourself to Keep up with the Latest Technology

 Remember Typewriters?

  I wrote my first few books and magazine articles on a typewriter. At the time one of my good friends and colleague said, "Your forte is speaking and communicating to a live audience-- I don't think you'll be able to capture that in the written word."

That was the only thing I worried about back then: Could I translate the power of the spoken word into written words and elicit action from the reader?

I didn't have to think twice about how or where to put my thoughts to paper. There were no personal computers, Internet sites, FAX machines, or e-mail; No cell phones, smart phones, scanners, or digital cameras; No blogs, on-line courses, webinars, video conferencing, or learning management systems; No social networking--no Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn; No Kindles, Amazon or e-books. I used the tools available to me at the time: pen, paper, typewriter and snail mail aka 'The Mail'.

When Does 3 Months of Experience Trump 30 Years?

In the 30 plus years I've worked in the training and development field, I've honed my speaking, facilitation, writing and program development skills. Those 30+ years of experience count for a lot. I am a skilled communicator, motivator and leader. I conduct meaningful and engaging workshops. But this is not enough.

In today's technologically-based world, sometimes 3 months of experience trumps 30 years of experience. This isn't to say 30 years of experience in the workplace isn't important. It means it's just as important for us to stay current learning and applying new technologies.

 Overwhelmed by the Speed of Change? Discover What Motivates You to Keep Up

 Rather than becoming overwhelmed by the speed at which things are changing, pledge to maintain a passion for life-long learning and to continually seek out your current motivators for stepping into the next phase of technology. Then take the next step.

Me? I'm motivated to learn how to use the latest technology by two things: 1) my need to communicate with and influence others and 2) my desire to find new ways to play with and showcase my art.

What Blows Your Hair Back?

  • What motivates you today?
  • What sets your curiosity on fire?
  • What blows your hair back?

Figure that out, and use it to motivate you to play with technology to further your personal and professional goals.

I started Lightarted Living so I could play with the technology and communicate with you. What do you want yourself to do NOW? How can you play to learn and change? What's one step you can take to move toward something you want to do better?

Motto: Small Daily Decisions Over a Lifetime Add Up!