A major difference between our knowledge-based economy and that of the former industrial-age economy is the rate of change. There was a time when people would enter their working lives with the expectation that they may work for one employer (whether this actually happened is an entirely different story). Today, there is wide spread consensus that the average worker will have several occupations. There is also wide spread recognition that an economy that rewards "brain power" requires continuous adaptation and growth.

As pointed out by Richard Saul Wurman in his book Information Anxiety there is more information in a weekday edition of The New York Times than the average person in 17-th century England was likely to come across in their life time. Also, as noted by Price Pritchard an organizational change specialist there has been more information produced in the last 30 years than during the previous 5,000. The world continues to change at an accelerated pace.

We continue to look for better and faster ways of doing things. A simple example of this change can be seen in the way music has been delivered to consumers. As decades pass the product that was cutting edge to one generation becomes a source of amusement to later generations. The succession of change started with the phonograph and has since included vinyl records, eight tracks, cassette tapes, compact disc (CD) player and MP3 players. There is little doubt that the MP3 will one day look archaic next to products yet to be invented.

In viewing the importance of change for personal and work growth it is easy to assume that this is a process that should come naturally to most people. Unfortunately, it rarely does.

Change is not comfortable, familiar or predictable. With change often comes a sense of loss of control. Yet, ironically those who dig their heels in and are most resistant to change are likely to experience the greatest amount of stress as their old ways of doings things no longer provide the desired results.

Career development is a long term process. The multiple career transitions that the average person will face require an openness to change. So, how do you start with the task of dealing with change? The first steps involve recognizing that change occurs and with this change comes opportunity. A quick easy read about dealing with change in our work and personal life is Spencer Johnson's parable titled Who Moved My Cheese. Johnson is able to take major lessons about navigating change and put these lessons across in an engaging story.

Another strategy for dealing with change is simply adopting the attitude to be a lifelong learner. This means learning throughout the life cycle in both formal and informal environments. It may mean building on your post-secondary education, taking a continuing education course in an area of personal or professional development, or simply reading books that continue to stimulate your mind. Those who are able to do so will be able to remain engaged in the world and develop skills sets that will keep up with the evolving work demands of each decade. For those who choose to do otherwise, it could be said they will be peddling eight-track skills in an MP3 world.

Tagged In: Adult Learners , Career , Planning , Success Strategies , Transition