3 Lessons From 2020

3 Lessons From 2020

2020 has not exactly been a gem of a year but cheers to the light around the corner.  

Sometimes (OK, always) I tend to go down a rabbit hole when I find interesting articles and resources so I wanted to share a few things I learned along the way.

1. Tiny Habits Coach to Achieve Goals:

Big goals can be overwhelming so breaking them down to smaller habits is more effective according to BJ Fogg, a behavior scientist at Stanford. BJ wrote “Tiny Habits” in 2019 and there’s a formula to follow to get to your end goal. We spoke on the phone in July and he gave me insights on how to create more habits that turn into consistent positive behaviors. We wrote about his research on behavior design and his steps here.

Right now he’s offering a free coaching series for 5 days. He has certified coaches that you can choose based on your needs and can participate in a 5 day “Tiny Habits Challenge” one on one.  Sign up for it here.  If you want to learn more about BJ Fogg, he’s been interviewed on several podcasts and videos.  

2. Building a Business or Startup:

I was lucky to be accepted into a startup course called Founder Institute in the Fall.  Although I left the program after three months, I learned so much from my cohort and the content provided. One article (Forbes 2013) is a comprehensive guide that discusses the steps to take when considering startup ideas. I’ve sent this to friends who are startup curious and they’ve found it valuable.

  • What Are The Best Ways to Think of Ideas For a Startup?  Forbes
  • Naval Ravikant is the CEO and co-founder of AngelList. He’s invested in more than 100 companies, including Uber, Twitter, and Yammer.  I learned about him through a podcast by Shane Parrish of The Knowledge Project. If you enjoy listening to deep thinkers, his interview is excellent and was one of their most popular episodes.  Naval Ravikant: The Angel Philosopher [The Knowledge Project Ep. #18].  There’s a book about Naval’s life philosophies and his compilation of wisdom about wealth, taking risks and leadership among other things.  His book can be downloaded for free here
  • If you’re searching for topics on self-development and business-related topics such as strategy, and creativity, this is an excellent resource I found on Twitter.  It was compiled by Steve Schlafman of High Output, a leadership development firm. The curated list:  Bookshelf Recommendations
  • If you’re wondering if you should start a business, this article explains why midlife is a perfect time. Sheila Callaham is a Forbes Contributor and was one of our webinar guests and wrote about the ideal age to found a company. Why 50 is the Best Time to Found a Company - Forbes

3. Future of Work & Longevity:

Since work is no longer a guarantee of material security, how can we empower ourselves and keep earning money?  Living longer and healthier lives is a good thing but with a retirement crisis, how can we remain financially secure in midlife?

  • We wrote about areas of growth in the future of work and focused on the non-technical opportunities here.  We also wrote about the Passion Economy and how this is a trend for people to earn money.  One reason is because access to no-code technology tools makes it so much easier to get started.
  • Gartner outlined the digital skills that will be needed in the future - beyond IT positions.  Lack of Skills Threatens Digital Transformation.
  • If you want to geek out about longevity and the impact the changing work demographics will have globally (and possible career ideas), check out the 2020 Stanford Longevity Century Summit.  It’s a free recording of the event and includes experts from all over the world.

“A report by the World Economic Forum indicates that by 2022 the job skills most required by employers will include not only proficiency with new technologies, but also creativity, emotional intelligence and critical thinking skills. The report also found that over half of all existing workers will require significant reskilling and upskilling to meet the demands of the changing labour market.”

We’re staying open to new possibilities and ideas in 2021 and want to hear from you about topics you’re interested in learning more about. Also, if you’ve found resources that you consider gems in a bummer of a year, we’d love to hear about them. Whether it’s for personal or professional development, please reach out at hello@illumehire.com

Happy New Year!