2021. What a year, you guys, What. A. Year.! Now, if you’re like me, no matter how you feel about new year resolutions, you can’t help but let some thoughts sneak into your mind, especially after a year like 2020… While slightly incapacitated by last night’s likely excesses, you take a moment to digest not just the food but also your recent experiences. Your mind looks back on the mess that was 2020 and all the changes that it’s brought into your life, into our collective lives too. You’re wondering: ‘will this ever go away? Will we get back to normal already?’ The better question is, though, DO WE EVEN WANT TO?

The old ‘normal’

I mean, if you take a good, hard, somewhat objective look at your old ‘normal’ – is it even worth going back to? I mean, REALLY worth? Aim to think beyond the hugs, holidays, outings with friends and so on, because, while critical – as we’ve learnt this year – that’s not ALL you are. Right? RIGHT?

Listen, we hear this at macro level all the time: let’s use this mess to build back better in 2021 and beyond, to stop the spiralling down into climate disaster and other similar messes by making wiser investments as we bring back our economies. Why not apply the same logic to our own lives?

Because we kinda are our own little economies. And we too can #BuildBackBetter, on a personal level. I mean, think about it.

Clearly, life is short and unpredictable

Nothing like a pandemic to point that out in the most painful way. You might or might not have lost someone dear to you, but really, you just need an ounce of empathy is all you need to tap into the collective pain. And that’s where you realise: there’s really no time to lose in going after your dreams…

[As an aside, before we go any further – I really can’t resist this. Not only does the singer seem to have it spot on, but it’s also one of my favourite songs ever AND it features my favourite quote. Take a sip of coffee and listen to this – and then decide what’s more sobering: the coffee, or the song?]

Watch this video on YouTube

“There’s no time to lose, ” I heard her say,
Catch your dreams before they slip away
Dying all the time –
Lose your dreams and you will lose your mind
Ain’t life unkind?
(Melanie, Ruby Tuesday, 1975)

Anyway, to make a long story short: going after your dreams might just be one of those ‘it’s now or never’ things.

Clearly, the world’s changing…

… and likely your industry along with it. You might still have a choice in 2021 – meaning there might still be a job there for you in the morning, or you might not. Either way, what better time to stop and have a good look at your prospects? Has the pandemic impacted your job? Is it likely to, down the road? Are there other factors that might also play a part – you know, the regular ‘culprits’: automation, artificial intelligence etc.? Do stop and think, because these are not the #blackswans we like to make them up to be – far from it! They are not a possible occurrence down the road at some point -they are here now! And if your industry’s likely to change but you haven’t taken the blow quite yet, don’t close your eyes like children do, wishing evil things away! Don’t hide your head in the sand.

Look, don’t shoot the messenger here, but that strategy won’t help. Like, at all. Because like it or not, change is a sneeze away – and your best bet is to be ready for it.

And (sigh) clearly, you’re not getting any younger 😉

Now, I wasn’t gonna use this argument today, after all it’s still a festive time… but rules of efficient discourse got the better of me, since arguments do work better in threes.

Besides, you can take some solace in the fact that this is a sore point for me too 🙂 – and not bringing it up would have placed me right there in the ostrich category that we’ve just discussed… And since they say that on 1 January you set the tone for the year, I figured hypocrisy might not prove to be my best start 😉

So, this new normal thing?

Yes, I invite you to reflect on your personal #buildbackbetter. What might that look like? If you’re reading this, chances are you’re considering tech as a new career path. Obviously, there are other options out there, but the assertion of this page is that since technology is the number one reason why your job might be going away, therein lies the future. Yes, jobs are going away, but better ones are up for grabs. And more and more mid-career professionals like you are actively grabbing them as we speak – so why not you. You’ve got what it takes and you’ve got so much to bring to the table.

Let’s unpack all of these together this year and get you ready for your transition into tech. The work’s on you – but I’ll do my best to help from the sideline.