Yup, this is a post about the type of music I listen to but there is a twist. So, Josh and Joshettes, are you ready to learn an important lesson from a music genre? Ready or not, we are diving into today’s topic.

So why is a Hispanic from Brooklyn, NY listening to Country Music? I am very open-minded when it comes to music and I listen to almost anything. My current playlists on my phone are as follows; Ballads, Cantopop (Chinese pop), Country, Disco, Doo Wop, Freestyle, Hindi Music, Italian Music, Japanese Pop, Jazz, Rock, Salsa, Rap, Reggae, and Reggaeton. There’s a couple more random playlist but you get the gist, I listen to basically anything. So, what does my eclectic music taste have to do with everyday life? My music taste is a metaphor for our minds. I know I’ve lost every single one of you but just hear me out, you must have an open-mind exactly like my music taste. So now that you know what this post is exactly about, now I can get to the meat and potatoes.

Just the other day, I recorded a podcast episode about the power of our minds and mindset, that episode is basically a prelude to this post. In that episode, I went over how our mindset can affect how we act so now I will go over the importance of an open mind. The world is constantly evolving and the way we lived yesterday is different from the way we live today (I’m talking figuratively, yesterday is referring to a couple of years ago). Technology has changed the game we call life, most of us use services such as Uber to get around. I use Apple Pay and Samsung Pay to pay for items more often than actual cash or cards. If you are not open in regards to this digital revolution you will get left behind. Sounds harsh but technology is taking jobs away from many. McDonald’s started implementing kiosks in order to save on the cost of labor. Soon there will be self-driving tractor trailers which will put millions out of jobs, which means they must learn a new skill to become relevant in this era. Big companies such as Toy R Us and Payless have gone out of business because they were unable to adapt to the trends of the modern day. If these big companies couldn’t succeed, how can we?

It might sound like I’ve gotten off topic but it comes full circle, trust me. In the modern age, we must be open to everything that is around us. Many of us are stuck in our own ways that we don’t realize that there is more than one way to crack an egg. We travel to and from work using the same path, we never try another route even though it might be faster. I’m using many metaphors but what I’m trying to get across is: We need to try new things. The old way may work but it might not be the best way. In the past the only way to publish a book if you didn’t have tens of thousands of dollars was to go through a publishing house; however, you can now self-publish your book digitally and make a living for much less. If you wanted to learn a skill you would have to find a class in a local college or community center and go there physically. Now we can learn skills from sites such as YouTube or SkillShare (Not Sponsored), from the comfort of your own home. This new era is all about adapting and leveraging the power of technology. We are able to use our phones in ways that would have been impossible years ago. They can now shoot a 4k video edit and upload it to the web without using a computer. The speed of current phones and tablets has exceeded some laptops. Phones have become more than a tool we use to call, text or email, yet many of us don’t see its potential.

Still confused? Don’t worry I’m going to put it into context by applying it to my own life. My business is content creation and I’ve been struggling to reach a broader audience. I’ve run Facebook ads and received some luck through there but it’s not enough. So, I decided to think outside of the box because what I was doing wasn’t giving me the results I wanted. So, I joined Tumblr, Goodreads, and Writing.com. Why did I join all of these sites, they give me more exposure as a writer? I need to build a following and what’s better than showcasing my work on popular writing sites. I’m even posting articles on linked in order to drive traffic. My YouTube channel sucks and in 2019 that is a No-No. So, I decided to learn how to do actual video edit (my weak point) and invested in some equipment to help me in this aspect. But Josh you just said that we can do everything from our phone, that is true and I will be using my phones in certain ways to help with the video. Since a fresh set of eyes is always welcomed, I listen to everyone’s feedback and tweak my content based on it. I keep my mind open and that allows me to implement new tactics in order to make my business succeed.

That’s how I implement keeping an open mind but how can your average person implement this lesson? The first thing you can do is be open to criticism, it’s hard but constructive criticism can help. By listening to your customers or coworkers, you can improve your productivity or sales. When I did sales, my coworkers’ feedback helped me improve as a seller. Another thing you can do is to learn how to become open to opportunities. Opportunity comes in all shapes and sizes, sometimes they present themselves in the form of a client or friend. You may spend extra time with them or they might ask for your assistance on a task after a while they might offer you an opportunity. The main thing to remember is to keep open the lines of communication. That may not apply for some of you but opportunity can present itself in other ways such as freelance. If you are an aspiring photographer or videographer you can offer your services for free in order to build a portfolio. If you are a web developer or graphic design you can use sites such as Fiverr or Upwork to build a clientele and generate an income. Like I said earlier it’s all about thinking outside a box and leverage the tools that technology has given us. The last thing you can do is read. Reading books can help open up your mind no matter what the genre. Reading a fantasy book like Harry Potter can open up your mind to become more imaginative. A biography can open up your mind on how you view your life and your past in relation to the person you are reading about.

I can sit here all day and type about this topic, but as we know from DMX talk is cheap. You have to go out there and take action. So, take a look at the world as if it was your first time.

Remember to be successful it's your right, duty, and responsibility.