Jump into the Future: Learning and Connecting

One hallmark of evolutionary investors is their commitment to lifelong learning. Of course each of us will have our particular primary and secondary interests; the future will also need many of us to be generalists, making the new connections necessary to move society forward. We live in an era that can overwhelm us with information, so finding reliable filters—whether they are websites, podcasts, authors and journalists, or conferences and classes—will enable you to focus on what is most relevant to you.

Technology is a central player in nearly any scenario, and its pace of change requires ongoing focus to avoid becoming a dinosaur. Innovations like 3D printing and bioengineering are rapidly changing our ideas about what is possible. Even if you are not an early adopter, try to stay aware of new tech and systems that are moving from concept to reality.

Turning to the social opportunities offered in this zone, you will want to find your place in the new forms of online global community that continue to blossom. Your ability to learn from leading thinkers and actors in almost every field—and to share your own leading-edge ideas—has never been greater.

And finally, the nature of work itself is being transformed by the quick pace of innovations; robots and outsourcing are taking a toll on jobs that were once thought to be immune from those pressures. At the same time, the opportunities available to entrepreneurs are limitless. From putting your offerings into the budding sharing economy, to collaborating in open-source global networks, you may find your future profoundly shaped by evolving your own participation in the world.