Each year, both the US and UK hold a public holiday at the end of the summer. These occasions are an opportunity to celebrate the nation’s workers and all they have achieved in the year to date.
It’s a time for those final summer trips, and some recalibration ahead of the Autumnal shift.
This year, the holiday, its meaning, and much of the definition around it have blended into a sepia-tinged background.
Instead, the focal point is occupied by a sense of the long haul. We’ve all been somewhere, somehow, but don’t remember much of how we got there. Time plays tricks. There’s the fog that comes with Groundhog Day; a strange, diffused amnesia from countless long stints up in the air.
Now, we’re sitting at another departure gate - part of a multi-stage journey where the final destination is unknown. And the jet lag from that previous leg has just touched down.
At this juncture, many of us are beginning to look up and out at what’s next. Simultaneously, we’re bracing ourselves for this current mode - as passengers in a restrictive, cabin-pressured version of reality - being life for a while yet.
It’s time to strap in for the long haul. And this trip is a triple header.
3 degrees, 4 columns
First, there’s the economic journey: the turbulence of recessions; unemployment; bringing businesses back from the brink. Starting and restarting.
Then, there’s the societal flight. New York City has been painted as being a long-haul casualty - perhaps even dead forever (I think not). Mental health is a growing concern (I know mine’s been lurching harder than a trainee pilot after a daytime Martini sesh). And actually heading up in the air for real long-haul travel explorations feels a long way away.
Finally, there’s a long haul that runs even deeper.
The shape of today’s media landscape means most of what we see regarding Coronavirus is made up of bullet points, snapshots, and quick bites (no, not from Quibi). And there’s that chart. Just three columns: infected; recovered; dead. Yet there’s so much more to understand here - as well as the members of a fourth column, too often made invisible.
There are many thousands of people in column four. They’re still suffering - many months since their first brush with the virus. Their ongoing symptoms are hugely debilitating, and the long haul view of their lives is still unknown.
For those complaining about masks being muzzles and suggesting the pandemic is one giant hoax - read up on those in the long haul. I’ve seen it first-hand: the spectre of this virus has lived in our house for nearly half a year now. It’s real, and it’s scary.
As a friend said to me - don’t think of this like flu; think of it like polio. There are many more shades, distances, and complexities than those we see at first glance.
So, the long haul cuts both ways.
In some ways it’s disappeared - leisure trips and long-term planning are largely off the table.
In others, we’re just buckling up.
Whichever way we’re going, there’s something important about sitting here at the departure gate.
It’s a place to think about the 6-month journey that brought us here, and to look out at the path we’re about to take.
It’s also a place to give ourselves permission to dream a little; and also to recognise what really matters most.
Thanks for reading, and always I’d love to hear what’s got your attention right now. Just hit reply.
Howard
Career Fuel
A departure lounge for your next career journey: Just like physical travel, today’s careers have new destinations and discoveries, tight-running transfers, and the odd quick escape. Many of the best journeys also start with serendipity. The latest Fondo update includes our new Departure Lounge: a place for you to meet fellow career travelers for small group conversations. Sign up now to get first access.
Why you feel awful: Understanding your surge capacity, and some tips on navigating the long haul.
Also: here’s a quick bit on letting go of imposter syndrome from a friend who’s involved in a new organization helping move a distressed industry forward. I found the email they sent me empowering and quietly hopeful in a world that’s still intent on throwing binary winners and losers at us:
I've not been dealing with imposter syndrome for the first time in my career. Helping to build this from scratch has been one of the most rewarding, challenging, time-consuming, and stressful things I've ever done, professionally or otherwise. But the good thing about this is nothing existed before and we're all learning together. I know as much as anyone else does or could. We're navigating new territory with no roadmap. Of course, knowing that there are literally thousands of businesses depending on us getting it right weighs on every action. However, in many ways, this project has been completely liberating.
Learning and Doing in tandem… which brings us to:
Learning < > Doing
MasterWiki: Another cheeky drop from MSCHF; this time lampooning startup darling Masterclass. Underneath the parody, there’s a real story here: the content alone isn’t worth too much, and there’s a real conflation between high status and being a good teacher. Is Steven Spielberg the best person to teach you to make your first movie? Is Anna Wintour telling her life story going to help your journalism career?
We can sit and marvel, or just be entertained, but the real value is in the combined stack of curriculum, coaching, and community.
Opportunity for adventure: The future of learning is more about creating environments than transferring information.
Ken Robinson RIP: Not just a great teacher, but a true innovator and raconteur. His talks have a lovely lightness and a crisp, dry humour to them. I only discovered his work a couple of years ago, and reading his bio this week I was reminded of a few things: the path is long; success doesn’t happen overnight; and if you’re in your element then the work doesn’t feel much like work. I wish I got to meet him.
Video games are the future of education: Beyond the clickbait title, I’m into this. There’s the explicit layer (video games), but there’s also the implicit (a variety of experiences using video game mechanics). Also, I expect Epic Games’ Unreal game design engine to become absolutely enormous.
Entertainment
The event industry’s Napster moment: A good piece from Rafat Ali, CEO of Skift, a company hit with the double-whammy of being in both the travel AND events businesses. Right now it’s hard to imagine large-scale conferences or festivals being anywhere near full capacity in 2021 (if they even run in-person). Sidenote: Napster was bought for $70m last week.
Global/Local: One area that’s most definitely in for the long haul is the nightlife industry. It’s not been helped by what’s being dubbed as ‘plague raves’ - big name DJs going out across Europe and playing large outdoor gigs with very few protective measures. In this interview with Exberliner, Berghain resident ND Baumecker talks about the future of nightlife, and the onus shifting from global to local: less long haul travel, and more focus on local talent and residencies.
Opportunity for adventure: a fellowship for burgeoning resident DJs from across the globe to develop their craft together
The rise of animated music videos: This one feels like a long haul trend; especially when we start thinking about virtual worlds and avatars. (hat-tip to Jeffrey for the link)
Opportunity for adventure: animation is a compelling form of communication and storytelling, and a growing industry to boot. Why not bring it into more school curriculums?
Also: these two have both done the long haul on the drum kit: Dave Grohl (51 years old) and Nandi Bushell (10).
Jukebox
Blowing Up the Workshop
This mixtape series has just come to an end, with 118 sessions to choose from across a range of genres and vibes (with a slant towards the experimental).
In line with my cool credentials continuing to evaporate, I’m only familiar with a handful of the guests. However, a few tips I can pass on are Jack Murphy (110), Yaeji (98), Patrick Quick (82), and Galcher Lustwerk (12). Otherwise, pick a card… any card.
Footnotes
Other things I’ve been up to this month:
Reaching the 3 year wedding anniversary. How she puts up with me, I’ll never know.
Getting more comfortable with telling stories and putting my face on things.
Signing the lease for an apartment in Brooklyn. It’s been emotional, Manhattan.
Working with a brand strategist. Being a client isn’t easy.
Mapping out the workshop I’m running at the JAM2020 conference in October. You can use the code SPEAKERFRIEND at the checkout to get 20% off any ticket tier. Because I’m a speaker, and you’re my friend. Innit.
And hit the orange button below to share this newsletter with a friend or a foe.