The Infinite, Ever-Expanding Frontier of Opportunity
This builds on the idea from a previous post: The Economy is Mind-Bogglingly Huge. The vast depth of the economy means there is an infinite frontier of opportunity.
If space is unfathomably big, the size of the edge of space is nearly infinite.
If the economy is unfathomably deep, the abundance and variety of niches are nearly infinite.
(If this comparison isn’t mathematically sound, it’s at least directionally correct.)
The depth of the economy means there is always an opportunity. No matter how narrow your focus, there is another opportunity nested inside. I know someone who spent their entire career designing steering wheel buttons.
Supply chains are incredibly deep, logistics are surprisingly complex, roles are increasingly unique.
This is especially true with a digital, global market. You can do anything, from anywhere, and serve anyone. You could specialize in photoshopping toenails or be a dog naming consultant.
It gets better. This infinite frontier of opportunity is constantly expanding.
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
15% of google search queries every day are unique, novel, never seen before. One in eight searches has never been typed into google before. This has been roughly true for 20+ years. How fucking crazy is that?!? [source]
Trillions of searches every year from all people all over the world — I can’t imagine better proof of innovation and change.
Consider what this means… search volume has been growing, growing, growing for decades, and STILL, more than 1 in 8 are novel. This comes from new words, new products, new art, new technology, entire new industries that are being created.
When continues growing at the same rate, the total volume of incremental growth is increasing. In our metaphor, the total size of the frontier of opportunity is growing.
This is good news for you.
This nearly infinite frontier of opportunity with unfathomable depth is actually expanding, constantly. The infinite, ever-expanding frontier of opportunity.
What does that tell us?
In the impossibly huge machinery of the economy, there are moments of opportunity opening, shifting, and re-opening constantly. There will always be a new way to win.
New careers, new skills, new technologies to learn, new markets to reach, new customer needs, new challenges, new demands… all creating new opportunities.
Every new invention spawns new opportunities. Each invention begets more inventions. There’s a virality co-efficient… I’m not sure how to calculate it… but 1.1 or 1.2 times as much invention. Maybe more! It’s the exact opposite of the old “all the good ideas are taken” idea — every invention actually demands the creation of more new inventions.
Guns spawned body armor, podcasting changed the microphone industry, and blockchain technology is actively creating an entirely new industry and culture.
For another huge example, consider how the new space industry will grow over the next 50 years due to the decreasing cost of space launches. How many new skills, technologies, and customers will these changes create?
My final thread on this idea: this infinite of opportunity enables you to earn a living doing something that is interesting and authentic to who you are. Build and use your Specific Knowledge.
Holding these ideas guides me into a place of abundance, excitement, and wonder. It fills me with earnest energy, curiosity, and awe. It inspires me, and I hope you enjoy it as well.