Monday Thoughts….

Do you remember what you were doing on September 27th, 1998? Other than being single and working at a different ad agency in New York, I have no idea what I was doing that day. Yes, I totally missed the birth of Google and I assume most everyone did just like me. We all now know how significant that launch was. As with most things, it was impossible to see at the time what it will become.

There are loads of stories out there on how Google has fundamentally changed our lives. I certainly have been affected — what would my day be without gmail, calendar, maps, analytics, adwords, adsense, etc., ? Where will my son find his entertainment without YouTube? How would I have remodel my bathrooms without Google search? However, what I find particularly interesting on this rainy September Monday is what the dominant super search engine and technology provider is not anymore — Google is no longer the most visited website in America. That now belongs to another college dorm room project, Facebook.

As we try to look out another 12 years, one thing is certain — some unrecognized beginning will once again fundamentally shift how technology affects our lives and changes our behaviors. We won’t see it coming and probably won’t be able to realize the significance when we first encounter it. Our best bet is to not get too complacent with what we have and always remain open to what might be.