Keynote from United Nations, JA Youth Dialogue on Education & Innovation: Ensuring inclusivity in the era of COVID-19

The Digital Innovators Playbook: I was invited by the UN of Jamaica to give a speech on education and innovation in a post COVID world. The content starts a few minutes in. The core message was simple. But don’t let that fool you. You must first understand that we are living in a new world. The old rules no longer apply. With digital there is a new playbook. Many parents don’t understand. Being a creator is a legitimate career that can be as lucrative as you want it to be or as low lift as you want it to be. This new world means you must become an autodidact, like @abrahamneitarob says. This means your education is your responsibility. You must teach yourself. You must develop an insatiable curiosity and become a life long learner. The rate of innovation is so fast that if you’re not constantly pushing your own limits, you will be left behind. The best way is to have something that pulls you. Not something you have to push yourself to do. Then you must become a creator. Don’t be scared. I didn’t say “artist” but you must be an active citizen online. Creating doesn’t have to be hard. Just share or repost what you wish you knew yesterday. Creating allows you to connect with your inner authentic self. It allows you to create artifacts that get you closer to your goals. And it allows you to help the people coming up after you. From there don’t worry about the vanity stuff. Likes and comments don’t matter as much as you think. It’s about getting your message out there and in front of the right people. If they don’t know you, they can’t flow you. People need to know who you are, what you stand for, and what you can do. This is a prerequisite to attracting opportunities online. Don’t worry about followers either. I’ve never had more than 2-3k followers on my personal social. But I’ve generated well over 6 figures in revenue with almost all organic content marketing. I know people who have audiences that are 10x-30x larger than mine but haven’t been able to do anything. To keep it simple. Find a process you can obsess over. Then start now and share the journey. You’re building an asset. Brand is digital real estate. It can pay you handsomely. Start now. You got it Episode Log: Why we are all creators and why you should create to: learn, grow, and give back: ~20:00 Why you shouldn’t worry about vanity metrics like likes/followers. Focus on getting your message in front of the right people: ~23:00 How law of attraction can work for you in the digital world: ~27:00 Conclusion and wrap up: ~30:00 Moderator comments and wrap up: ~31:00 Q&A with recommendations for individuals and Jamaican government/policy makers: ~35:00