Appreciate the Internet

Just a few years ago, Uber did not exist. Getting from point A to B without your vehicle was a juggling act between logistics, dependencies, nature and various other factors. It was impossible to predict how the experience would turn out. Today, calling an Uber has becomes as much a part of society’s fabric as say picking up the phone and calling someone. The unfortunate thing is that we often very quickly take such advances for granted, falling back to lamenting about how life isn’t working out, how difficult it is and how there is no easy way to get ahead. In this article, we show you how commonplace things represent tremendous advantages for those who take the time to appreciate them and harness them.

The Internet

Before the Internet, it was impossible to conceive a reality where all the collective knowledge of the world could be available at the click of a button. The Internet brought real-time communication, unfettered learning, access to markets and multiple other efficiencies to how humans live and work. As an entrepreneur, what this means is that you are living in one of the greatest times in human history. A time when you can learn something new instantly or reach a new client without having to travel hundreds of miles. If you feel like things are not going too well, think of a world without the Internet. Would you say that would be a hard world to live in?

Smartphones

When Steve Jobs announced the first iPhone, he triggered what would become one of the biggest technological revolutions in human history since the discovery of iron tools. The idea that the average person could have the equivalent of a supercomputer in their pocket unlocked tremendous opportunity for entrepreneurs. Today, everything runs on your smartphone. From email to social media to health apps to your bank to entire news agencies. The power of smartphones means consumers are empowered to reach for whatever it is they want directly from their smartphone. As an entrepreneur, this means your customers have never been more accessible. Focus on reaching them at this level, and you are halfway to closing more business.

Sharing Economy

Uber and Airbnb introduced the world to the sharing economy. The fact that people could use underutilized resources for a fraction of the price it would cost to purchase them started a movement. Today the sharing economy includes power tools, farming machinery, cars, homes, commercial machinery and others. Starting and running a business today is cheaper and faster thanks to this movement. Consider this scenario: You start a home renovation business. You hire power tools, hire a vehicle, hire a crew to work with you, set up a website on shared hosting, etc. In this scenario, you have a fully-fledged business, yet you own nothing. This is the real power of the sharing economy.

Conclusion

This is the greatest technological time to be alive in the entirety of human history. Take a moment to take stock of how much easier technology has made your personal and business life. When you feel like complaining or pitying yourself, remind yourself how much you have going for you and readjust your efforts from complaining to creating using the tools you have at hand.