The Macro View

If you're reading this article chances are excellent that you
are looking at, or participating in the opportunity side of the
WWW. The web is still in it's infancy (OK maybe it's a
Toddler by now), and who ever can stake their claim right
now will continue to flourish well into the next millennium.
The successful cyber entrepreneur of today could be the
equivalent to the Rockefeller's, Vanderbilt's, Kennedy's,
Getty's, Ford's, (etc.) of yesteryear.

Lets step out of the micro view for a moment and consider
the macro view. This Internet revolution has been compared
to the impact that Edison's light bulb or Fords Model T had
on the world. Some have even said that the Internet is bigger
than the invention of TV or radio. From each of these
discoveries have come fantastic opportunities. Complete
Industries have sprung up from them. Mammoth fortunes
have been made as a result of them. But you really can't
compare the Internet to them. These inventions fall far
short of the impact that the Internet (as we know it today)
will have on mankind.

A closer comparison would be that of Gutenburg's printing
press or the Industrial revolution. You could even compare
the computer age and the Internet (as we know it today) to
the transformation of early man from a hunter/gatherer to a
sower/reaper. Face it, we are living in a pivotal point in human
history. We are the privileged few who have the opportunity to
capitalize on the greatest technological revolution that this
world has ever seen.

We can observe that historically these revolutions happened
over the course of decades and in some cases centuries. As
we all know, the Internet revolution is evolving at a dizzying pace.
What we see today can be history next year or even next week.
Five years from now the Internet will be quite different than most
of us can imagine. Where it eventually leads is probably not even
clear to the brightest minds of today. However, we are seeing the
results of this change in our lifetimes.

Certainly nobody realized that they were in the midst of a dramatic
historical shift when man discovered the flint and steel, but change
they did. We, today have the advantage of all of mans previous
experiences and hopefully are much better able to predict the
consequences of this next transition. We do understand that it is
a significant change, but it may not be apparent how significant
until the historians have interpreted it decades or possibly centuries
from now.

OK, back to our micro view again. What should we do? Wait it out
and see what happens? Not very wise. When combustion engine
farm machinery came along the land owner who didn't have it,
couldn't compete and usually lost everything. He may have owned
huge tracts of land but he could no longer afford to pay workers to
farm it when his neighbor used a tractor. Likewise many of todays
business's (and their employees) stand to be bowled over by this
digital tidal wave. We need to position ourselves as a surfer who
is equipped to ride the wave. We must embrace, it and like the
surfing enthusiast that is always looking for the 'really big one',
be ready to jump in the water at a moments notice. As they say
'He who hesitates, waits...'

Whenever major new innovations came along they were generally
available only to the elite and not to the common person. When
Gutenburg's printing presses started up the average Joe on the
street had no access to the end product. When the first few cars
rolled off of Fords assembly lines they were not initially attainable
to the masses (although that was his dream and mission). But the
Internet today is available to more people than were alive at the
time of the first printed book. The Internet today is touching more
people than had lived up to and including the time of Christ. The
Internet today has affected the lives of future generations to come
in a profound way that we will only be able to understand after
the fact.

Friend, we have available to us today the power to reach out
and influence more people than have existed throughout all of
mans combined history. Let us not waste this precious opportunity.
If you are reading this, you have the same ability and opportunity
as everyone else on this medium. There are no limitations other
than your imagination. What will you do with it? Will you use it to
create an empire for yourself and your future generations (as
many are doing) or will you fail to recognize the potential of a
few strategically placed bits and bytes on the computer screens
of millions and millions of computer users worldwide.

Most people are looking for leaders and innovators. Men and
women who aren't afraid to take chances. People who will follow
you if they sense that you are firm in your convictions and
willing to stand up for them. Did you know that Marconi (the fellow
who discovered radio waves) was committed to an insane asylum
by his friends before they took him seriously. Today it is cool to
be on the cutting edge of change and if you are willing to embrace
this rapidly evolving technological beast and tame it to your own
purposes... well the world really could be your oyster.

If you are ready to roll up your sleeves and work, you have
already jumped ahead of most people. The challenge is that
most people aren't willing to put in the necessary effort, but
then again, that's why it is such a fantastic opportunity for the
enlightened few. Consider Thomas Edison and his light bulb.
He documented 10,000 experiments before success found
him. Was his effort worth it? Without it you wouldn't be
reading these words.

Don't wait, the water temperature has never been better, there's
still room for you to make a splash... jump in with both feet, just
be prepared to start paddling. This new medium of communication
is no respecter of persons. Age, sex, color, religion, size, family
background, past history, etc.; it makes no difference to the bits
and bytes, they respond as well to you as anybody else. There
is only one rule... "Just do it." What you do today could repay
you a hundred fold tomorrow.

Here's what you need to do to get started:

1) Learn as much as you possibly can. But don't let this slow
down your involvement

2) Create or find a product or service that you can promote
wholeheartedly.

3) Jump in. Get yourself a solid Internet presence.

4) Get busy! Market that product.

Sounds rather simple doesn't it. In fact it requires a lot of
effort, but the steps are simple enough and the rewards are
certainly worth it.