What Will the Future Bring Us, with Alon Amit and Guy Pross

In our last lesson we talked about what the future may have in store in terms of technology, professions that come and go and what we can do to find our own amazing future.

First, we had Dr. Alon Amit’s excellent overview on past, present and future. As the famous baseball player Yogi Berra is supposed to have said, “It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.”

Secondly we had an excellent interview with Guy Pross, who told us a few things about his career and what he advised young people as a result. Guy told us that while he studied at the leading university in his area there was much missing from how he was taught, and like many of us who go to university feels that the traditional university experience lacks the tools required for many our careers. On the other hand, part of his ‘nanabanana’ is teaching his students differently, giving them real life tools and insights that will inspire their future career.

Guy’s breakthrough came when he returned to Israel to volunteer in an association that led to a job that changed his life. He talked about being prepared for the unexpected, in his case a presentation/pitch that he was asked to give that catapulted himself forward. He talked about the importance of working with people from various backgrounds, people that are different than you are. He talked about the importance of passion, especially since sometimes you are required to work long hours, under difficult conditions.

He talked about the importance of putting passion and fulfillment over money and short-term financial rewards. Success is not looking over your shoulder and comparing yourself with others, but what you can achieve. He talked about the importance of multiple failures. According to Guy, opportunities are EVERYWHERE. He cited two fields which he thinks are going to blossom – digital health and foodtech. But he said you can get there from many other professions (remind me to talk more about thinking between boxes and learning the unexpected). He emphasized that you get really good jobs by word of mouth, not by sending in CVs. And remember: VOLUNTEER. Be passionate. Embrace change.

What are your thoughts about the future? Send them to me at [email protected] and I will share them here!