The Age of Soloing Has Begun

I love to solo things. And, that includes climbing. Lot’s people think I’m crazy. But soloing is one of the few times in life that I’m in control. Alive. It’s all up to me. No one else. Right now, I’m sitting here 800 feet above the ground in the middle of the vast sea of rock that is the 1st Flatiron, here in Boulder. With only a pair of climbing shoes to aid my progress. No rope. No protection. Every move becomes critical. It’s an action that has big consequences if not performed properly. There’s no other place I’d rather be. Every time I step up to a rock face to solo I’m scared. Yet, it is this fear that hones my attention and liberates me from the subjectivity of everyday life.

Today, digital technology has made it possible for us to do almost anything from anywhere. No longer do we need to work in a factory to make something. Look at Rep Rap. Likewise, companies no longer need to aggregate a lot of people in one place to get work done. Crowdsourcing is shifting this paradigm. The very nature of work and even our relationships with each other are changing.

We are entering an age of soloing.

How will you solo? Will you start a business? Will you create the next Twitter? Will you write a book? Will you start a blog? Will you do what you truly love?

In this new age of soloing we all have to step off the ground and start a solo journey, fighting fear yet finding new joy.

Are you ready?

Posted via email from johnwinsor's posterous

Comments

[Ben Malbon]

Love it.

Fortes fortuna iuvat.

[Dino]

I am ready, John! Thanks for the post :)

[edwardboches]

John:
I think I'll do my soloing from the keyboard, or with my road tires pressed firmly to the ground. But you are right and you have snagged a post idea from the inners of my mind. There are no barriers except for one. Your imagination. Set it free.

[nanek]

John, loved the post. In attempting to subscribe to your blog, I notice that the feeds set by your blog do not work properly. Then I saw the feedburner link which works fine. I recommend updating your blog rss links to point to your feedburner feed to make it easier for people to subscribe.

[Nutu]

I'm just going to keep making ads and apps and content. The input may change, but the output will be the same. Glad I'm a creative.

[Mel Exon]

I love the spirit of this. The parallel with what we call work is so apt. If we're all "nodes on a network" then it's up to us as individual people to make a difference, not leave it up to the corporation (definition: 'a body of persons', after all).

Fortune favours the brave, indeed.

[John Winsor]

Mel

I love the network insight. Thanks for adding it.

JW

[David Burn]

I climbed the third Flatiron on July 4th one year and then sat atop my bird-like perch to watch the fireworks.

Descending off the back mid-air into pitch darkness—now that was scary.

Thanks for the reminder. Looking into the abyss that is soloing as a writer, I see a distinct connection to that Independence Day event.

[John Winsor]

that down climb is scary, especially in the dark.

[conrad lisco]

Love the post. Very interesting concept...

Enter the age of the loner...where it's no longer a negative, but rather a badge.