I love geographic information systems! The artistic nature of mapping and symbology, the science and statistics of geospatial analysis, and the cross industry value is amazing.
Here is something you need to consider.
You are going to go obsolete in GIS VERY QUICKLY… if you aren’t careful.
Technology changes fast… faster than humans can possibly change.
Humans are slow… it took us 10’s of thousands of years to figure out the wheel, and now we have new technology updates monthly.
Now say this with me… THIS IS OK! I CAN HANDLE THIS.
You can handle this because knowing what is happening is half the battle!
First I am going to tell you the two skills YOU NEED TO LEARN NOW.
And then I am going to tell you the only four steps you need to get this done.
The two powerful skills you need are:
Learning how to Learn and Learning How to Teach
These two skills are the currency of the future.
Your ability to use these skills for yourself, for your group, or your organization will determine your success.
Learning how to Learn
You have to learn how to learn because the world changes fast, technology changes fast, and the work environment changes fast.
Part of it is counter intuitive. You have to learn what to forget what you don’t need, so you ONLY learn what is IMPORTANT.
You have to be selective in your learning, and you have to be FAST.
This type of learning happens on the edges. This will put you out of your comfort zone.
You have to have removed the phrases “I knew that” and “I disagree” from your vocabulary.
You THINK you have the skills, but chances are you DON’T have them. This is because of your PERSPECTIVE.
You think you have the answers, you think you know what is going on, but you miss out on learning if you already KNOW and DISAGREE.
Learning how to Teach
Your ability to explain a topic reveals just how much you have learned about it.
Something magical happens in our minds when we teach. A responsibility switch is clicked on and we start to understand what we are teaching better.
Teaching takes guts. Teaching takes time. Teaching takes skill. All of which you can learn over time.
Now… the fours steps to being able to Learn how to learn and learn how to teach.
Step 1 – Know your Purpose
Your first step is to know your purpose in life. It can also be as simple as know your purpose in learning how to learn.
Your purpose will drive you forward and be as easy to understand as “Get a great job I love”.
This is the “WHY” of your life or current ideas. There is nothing more powerful than your massive “WHY” and purpose.
With purpose, you have a starting point to focus and push yourself forward.
My “WHY” is the continual evolution of my skills and abilities. For me, there is no end point, only the next step. The next step could be big, but most likely it is small.
Step 2 – Focus Focus Focus
Your ability to focus your attention over time will determine your level of success in your purpose.
To focus better can be as simple as turning off your social media.
It can also mean you isolate yourself socially for long periods to get jobs done.
Focus compounds over time allowing you to create something amazing.
I use several tools to keep myself focused. I use an application that blocks social media sites, video sites, and shopping sites for large parts of my day. While I am savvy enough to get around my own blocks on these sites, it is a reminder to stay focused and get things done.
Step 3 – Stay Aware
Your purpose will change over time, the world will change over time, and your life will change over time… YOU NEED TO BE AWARE OF AND MAKE NEW DECISIONS BASED ON THESE CHANGES.
It is ok to change and adjust your direction and purpose.
Your purpose doesn’t have to stay static for years on end. You can alter it constantly to better fit new information.
“I want to be an astronaut” can rapidly turn into “I want to be an engineer” to “I want to invent a better car” to “I want to program safety into drones”.
My lastest “STAY AWARE” was with respect to artificial intelligence tools. The tools seemed scary and the “end of line” for human input. But they were not, they simply made our lives go even faster… which is ok.
Step 4 – Create Bulletproof Mindsets
The way you think about the world and how you fit in it matter. Your ability to harness your mind matters.
Great mindsets will add to your purpose, make your focus 10 times better, and keep you aware of changes you have to adjust to.
Here are several great mindsets I use every single day:
Plan ahead
Success loves speed
No one cares, they want their problems fixed
Continual Evolution.
Most of all… HAVE FUN!
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Geographic Information Success 