Wow. This line from gapingvoid hit me like a ton of bricks:

bq. The old ways are dead. And you need people around you who concur.

Yeah. You know, I don't think this is something that is just true today. Rather, I think this is always true, has always been true, and the successful people are those who understand and accept this fact. Maybe in part this is because the people who think the world is changing and surround themselves with people who think the world is changing... these people change the world.

Hugh continues:

bq. That means hanging out more with the creative people, the freaks, the real visionaries, than you're already doing. Thinking more about what their needs are, and responding accordingly. It doesn't matter what industry we're talking about- architecture, advertising, petrochemicals- they're around, they're easy enough to find if you make the effort, if you've got something worthwhile to offer in return. Avoid the dullards; avoid the folk who play it safe. They can't help you any more. Their stability model no longer offers that much stability. They are extinct, they are extinction.

Yeah. Wow. Good stuff. Remember this.