AMARA’S LAW (Thursday’s 35 #001)

“We tend to overestimate the effect of a technology in the short run and underestimate the effect in the long run.”

“We tend to overestimate the effect of a technology in the short run and underestimate the effect in the long run.”

A new technology rarely changes the world within a year or two. Think of the iPhone when it first came out in 2007. Yes, it was new and cool — but how much changed in your immediate environment because of it in 2008 or 2009?

At least for me, the answer is: nothing.

But now, in 2019, smartphones have completely transformed our culture. We all now carry a phone, a multi-megapixel photo camera, a 4k video camera, a music player, a GPS navigation tool, the world’s biggest library and much more with us every day. In our pockets. And it has completely disrupted how we communicate, for better or for worse.

Now, isn’t there an Amara’s Law for ourselves and what we can achieve as well?

We almost never finish our to do lists for a day or a week — but think of how extremely different your life looked like 5 years ago. What do you think you can achieve in 5 years from now if you start making changes today?

Aim really high, but break it down into tiny parts every day. Consistency is key.

This is episode 001 of my Thursday’s ThirtyFive idealetter I sent out a few months ago. It’s a weekly email with one good idea that doesn’t take longer than 35 seconds to read. Every Thursday. Subscribe here.