“A Whole New Mind” by Daniel Pink

I heard about this book from a suggested reading list posted by some social media guru. It was almost a year ago, so I’m not sure who, but I’ve read it now and I’m glad I did. If you’re a creative worker trying to find meaning in your work or a more analytical person trying to find a way to survive in this new era of out-sourcing, you MUST read this book. The author is very clear to say that the book is not meant to fix or be a definitive guide to being successful in the future, but he provides a strong framework with tangible exercises (or “portfolios”) that he includes after each chapter for you to practice the new mindset.

There are so many reviews of this book that I won’t bother to do a full review. However, I do wish to share what I derived from the text. It is clear that in the modern world jobs will either be automated by computers, done by skilled workers in other countries (namely Asia) for less money, and that there is an abundance of material goods for many people(this is of course not true for many regions of the world, but true when speaking of developed nations). As a result, the only way to remain on top is to create a niche for yourself. What makes an iPod better than the dozens of other models? Better design, better software, more intuitive experience. In order for this to happen, people must shift from the Left Brain (or Left Directed) mindset of the past 100 years to a more Right Brain (or Right Directed) course of thinking. This means being more creative and less analytical, as that can be done by computers and droves of low paid skilled workers overseas.

The only thing left that we can’t export (at this point in time) is our creativity, ingenuity, and ability to synthesize disparet ideas to make cohesive new ones. What a poweful concept. It hit me like a ton of bricks. No matter how cheap labor becomes or how fast a computer can calculate numbers, they cannot develop fresh ideas. One of the funniest comments was that today you have to be technial and a designer. Just doing something doesn’t count in today’s job market. Can you develop a vision? That is the real question.

After reading the book, it made me realize the importance of authenticity in work and empathizing with those you are working. In the United States and many other nations, we have everything and more that we desire. All that’s left to do is consume are experiences and connect with other people on a deeper level.