Imagine being viewed as the icon in your industry for over 60 years. 

Naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough has that distinction, to the extent that it’s difficult to speak about wildlife documentaries without referencing him. 

Imagine if, in the late 1950’s, Attenborough had stubbornly refused to graduate to the newer equipment as it came out, arguing that he was comfortable with ‘the old ways.’ His eminence may never have extended beyond the 1960's. 

And yet, today, he is still producing, and still at the top of his craft. His world-class documentaries benefit from the use of drones, satellites, submarines, and super high-definition underwater cameras. 

Irrelevancy can begin subtly. With each small assertion that we don’t need the next thing - that we’re comfortable with the way we have always worked in the past - we inch down a road toward extinction. 

This is not a call to bankrupt yourself by buying all the latest, most expensive toys. Rather, it’s a reminder that every industry progresses. It moves on. Its tools and methodologies improve and progress, and we must do so right alongside them, in order to remain relevant. 

Use the progress, embrace the improvement, and decade after decade, you could remain at the forefront of your industry. 

Douglas Kruger is a global speaker and author of five business books with Penguin Random House SA. He has won the national championships for Public Speaking, through Toastmasters International, a record 5 times.

In 2016, in honour of excellence in his craft, Douglas was inducted into the Speakers Hall of Fame, by the Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa. See him in action, or sign up for his free newsletter, ‘From Amateur to Expert’ at www.douglaskruger.co.za . Email info@douglaskrugerspeaker.com