Understanding the ‘velocity of change’ and how to keep your footing in a world that’s constantly accelerating.

I was chatting with a friend over coffee the other day, and we landed on a feeling I think everyone shares right now: doesn’t it feel like the world is spinning faster than ever? It’s not just the news cycle or the latest viral trend. It feels deeper. It’s the sense that the ground is constantly shifting beneath our feet. My friend summed it up perfectly: “I feel like I just figured out the last big thing, and three new ones have already replaced it.” It turns out there’s a name for this feeling, and a recent quote I stumbled upon nails it: “The only thing that changes is the velocity of change.”

This isn’t just a clever corporate phrase; it’s a profound observation about our modern reality. It means it’s not simply that things are changing—change has always been a constant. The real difference is that the rate of change is accelerating. The time between major, society-altering shifts is shrinking at a dizzying pace. Think about it this way: for thousands of years, the fastest way to get a message somewhere was on a horse. Then, in the span of about a century, we got the telegraph, the telephone, and the internet. Now, the way we use the internet fundamentally changes every couple of years. That’s the velocity of change in action.

Understanding the Increasing Velocity of Change

For a long time, Moore’s Law was the classic example of this acceleration, specifically in computing. Coined by Intel co-founder Gordon Moore, it described how the number of transistors on a microchip doubled about every two years, leading to exponential growth in computing power. You can read more about it straight from Intel’s own archives. For decades, this predictable, rapid growth powered the tech industry.

But now, that same exponential acceleration is happening everywhere. Just look at Artificial Intelligence. In early 2022, AI image generators were a niche hobbyist tool. By early 2023, ChatGPT and Midjourney were household names, sparking global conversations about the future of work, art, and education. That wasn’t a slow burn; it was a wildfire. The same pattern is visible in biotech, renewable energy, and even how we work. The shift to remote work wasn’t a gradual trend—it was a sudden, massive adaptation forced by the pandemic, and it permanently altered the professional landscape in just a couple of years.

How to Keep Your Footing with the Velocity of Change

So, if we’re strapped into a rocket that’s constantly picking up speed, how do we avoid getting completely overwhelmed? It’s tempting to either try and master every new thing (impossible) or just tune it all out (impractical). I think the real answer is somewhere in the middle. It’s less about knowing everything and more about building a mindset that can roll with the punches.

Here are a few ideas that have helped me stay grounded:

• Cultivate Curiosity Over Expertise: It’s no longer possible to be an expert in everything, or even one thing for very long. Instead of trying to master every new app or platform, just get curious. Spend 15 minutes playing with a new AI tool, not to become an expert, but just to understand what it is. Curiosity is light and playful; the pressure of expertise is heavy.
• Focus on ‘Anchor’ Skills: While specific technologies change, core human skills don’t. Clear communication, critical thinking, empathy, and creativity are timeless. These are the skills that allow you to adapt to any new tool or situation. A recent article from Harvard Business Review puts a fine point on how crucial this is for professional success. No matter how fast tech evolves, people will always value someone who can solve problems and work well with others.
• Find Your ‘Off-Ramp’: In a world of constant connection and change, you need things that are slow, deliberate, and analog. For me, it’s cooking or going for a long walk without my phone. These activities are my anchor. They don’t change, they don’t require updates, and they remind me that not everything in life needs to move at the speed of light.

Ultimately, accepting the increasing velocity of change is the first step toward navigating it. It’s not about fighting the current but learning how to swim with it. We can’t predict what the world will look like in five years, but we can become the kind of people who will be ready for it when it arrives. It’s a wild ride, for sure, but it’s also an incredibly interesting time to be alive. So let’s take a deep breath, stay curious, and see where it takes us.