Diary of a Solutionista: Embracing the Change: Designing the 21st Century

If everything is always changing, then why are we still designing as though we don’t know this? Wouldn’t life take us less by surprise? And wouldn't we more able to cope with life’s challenges if we were more equipped to transition more easily?

On a personal level, I am fully aware that the primary force that keeps me running in place is my resistance to change. Resistance is mostly a habit. That’s why I invest so much of my energy into making change happen more easily. And that's also why I'm so thrilled that America has decided to embrace change.

Barack Obama was inaugurated today. The whole thing is so "wow!". His ability to corral the majority of Americans around a change platform still amazes me today. We've been collectively resisting the call of the 21st century for eight years, and have finally taken the leap.

I'm looking forward to the change, and doing my part where I can. I'm also looking forward to the streamlining process, and how it's going to shape up over the next few years. There are a number of entities that are going to become irrelevant or obsolete (some of which I'm truly happy about), and others that will take on far more importance (which I'm equally happy about!).

Many companies are going to have to retool their business models to reflect what is most needed now, or wither away into obscurity. All of us will also have to change our habits, especially the way we use our resources.

The practice of planned obsolescence will have to be addressed, and new ways of retaining a stable customer base will have to be explored. I'm especially excited about this, because it was the whole planned obsolescence thing that brought me to my moment of divine discontent a number of years ago, and set me on the current trajectory I'm traveling on.

Happy Day!