A Dinosaur's Guide To Now.

Empowering your ability to be more effective, productive and life-balanced (aka happy) by finding your way in our digital world.

This is the book I want to write. Here's why:

There are a lot of dinosaurs living among us. They may be your friends. They may be your loved ones. They very likely could be your business partners. I doubt it is you because you are reading this on LinkedIn, but you may feel you are sometimes.

If age were the determining factor, I would be a dinosaur. But it's not. At least not in my mind. We're living longer and working later in life, but this should not have anything to do with years served.

Can Technology bring happiness?

I am really asking a question--a series of questions--and putting them out to the wisdom of the crowds.

How can we accelerate others around us to embrace--and not fear--living more of a digital life and to want to become more effective, productive and connected in positive ways that can improve their quality of life and self esteem?

I think becoming extinct is preventable. It's a choice we make. Or is it?

I choose to remain relevant, open and embracing what it means to live a digital life. I make an effort, but it's really more of a passion for me. I get that we're not all wired that way.

I have always thought that leading by example would be enough. But for a vast number of my baby boomer peers, it seems to increase how overwhelmed they feel. I would like to do more to share my passion in ways that would motivate others to embrace and try more new things.

Why is it so difficult for some to embrace, adopt and adapt to new ways of doing things that are potentially more practical, time-saving, effective and dare I say, more satisfying than the way we once did as the way we still do?

(click to answer on Quora)

I have not written a check in well over a decade. I barely have written with a writing instrument called a pen (or pencil). All of my personal and business dealings are in the cloud. Alexa is always listening at home, in the office. And if not Alexa, my S-voice app on my smartwatch. But this is not about technology, or early adoption of gadgets, or The Role of Science and Technology in Society or even Emerging Technologies to Improve the Human Condition, although those last two links are pretty interesting and insightful.

Look, there are a lot of promised solutions that turn out not to be practical. That's why there are early adopters who dive in, and often--like me--jump right out. Not to mention the legions of reviewers, raters, bloggers whose sole mission is to guide the rest us us.

And there can be steep learning curves in some cases. Even though there isn't a lot you can't learn by watching a you tube video.

(Okay, I admit I still haven't mastered tying a bow tie, and I've watched about 5 videos.)

Still it's seems too hard for too many. It's hard for them to embrace tools like calendar invitations, (accept, decline, but don't --ignore); limiting meetings (or even phone calls) to talk about that need to be explored and discussed, not what could easily have been a yes, no or simple informational reply; not grasping the fundamental protocols of group emails with c.c., group texts to spam your own friends and neighbors (and strangers whose numbers are not in your contacts so you have no idea who they are).

I'm still striving to understand how an experienced sales exec needs to be convinced that there is a benefit to actually update account status in a something like Salesforce, or even to update a shared spreadsheet as opposed to keeping it "in my head." (I'm trying to let this one go).

I have used a cloud-based project management system with hundreds of clients in dozens of industries (and all age groups) over the past decade, and it has become somewhat of a barometer of personality. I, and many of those who I have asked to use it since 2009, have quickly grasped the value in being able to collaborate, share access to key information, search for said information when it's needed, and to create tasks, reminders and calendar alerts.

But for every one who gets it (at least the basics of messaging and file uploads), there is at least one (if not two) who continuously forget their passwords and ask what it is (they set it up themselves); save websites and try to upload as files to share (rather than cut and paste the url in a message); say they have photos on their phone and will try to email them when they are back in the office tomorrow (it's easier to upload directly from their phone with app than it is to attach and send by emails).

This is not about technology, or is it? Is it the fear of technology, or the fear of change or simply, the fear of being perceived as being stupid?

I'm neither a psychologist, behaviorist, nor am I a computer programmer.

Perhaps you have a better perspective on this? Join the conversation by commenting on this article, or answer the question on Quora.

Michael Shoer

@michaelshoer #DinoNow