Change is here
It’s the working man’s greatest fear: that someday the robots will rise up like a mechanized tidal wave and take all of our jobs away. The average joe will be left in the cold, doomed to being marginalized by society’s quest for the fastest, easiest, and above all cheapest way to get things done. While this scenario may have seemed like fodder for a science fiction flick at one point in time, it is rapidly becoming a harsh reality. The robots are not just coming, they’re already here, and they are in fact taking over the jobs that regular old people used to do.
What can you do
So what is a mere human being to do? Do we fight back, frantically unplugging every appliance we see? No need to stock up on ammo and go off the grid just yet. There is hope for mankind, and it lives within all of us. The secret to humanity’s survival is our endless ability to adapt, and our ability to learn and to innovate. These amazingly resilient traits are what will ultimately save us all from the impending robot apocalypse.
The worst thing humans can do is to fight inevitable change, particularly in the workplace. While it may be our first instinct, it actually goes against our true nature as innovators. Change is really an opportunity to learn and improve our skills, something we as humans are much more adept at than machines are. Think a robot may be eyeing your job? Don’t feel threatened, rather think of where you may be able to improve your skills to keep you one step ahead of those feisty machines. Having a valuable skill set, and constantly learning new ones, are a sure-fire way to keep your job no matter how many robots may be around!
How to adapt
So, if you feel that you may be in danger of losing your job to a robot, don’t fear, don’t resist, and don’t give up! Take the opportunity to redefine your role, either within your current job or elsewhere. Why not become the engineer who makes the robots? Or perhaps the company that services and repairs said robots? The greatest advantage we as humans have over machines is our endless ability to adapt. With a little outside help, you can hone your skills to a new purpose or develop a whole new skill set entirely.
Sure, robots may take over a job sector or even an entire industry, but that will only create new and better opportunities elsewhere – you just have to be willing to go out and get them! While the robots may appear to have an edge at the moment remember: the adaptability that lives within all of us and makes us so uniquely “human”, is what will allow us to find new strengths that we never knew existed and ultimately prosper. Be flexible, be adaptable, and remember to never stop learning new skills!
