But I also do not believe this is new territory for anyone. Reviewing AdAge’s recent “80 Years of Ideas,” it’s amazing how far we have come during this past century. Perhaps change is happening at a faster pace than it used to, but nonetheless, we should all be used to things constantly changing.

But there is still resistance. Perhaps part of the reason for this is because we are unsure how to keep up. How do we (all of us in this industry) embrace the constant change?

In the grand scheme of things, I am a newbie. I have been doing advertising a mere 10 years. But already, I can look back at the beginning of my career and am shocked about how different my role and the work I contribute to is today. If that much has changed in 10 years, what will happen in 20?

So, I’d like to share my opinions on how to keep up. These are merely a few ideas that I “try” to practice to be sure I am on the cutting-edge and not falling behind.

• You are never too old to learn new things (whatever your age). Do not sit back and hope something will fade away. You do not want to be one of those people who have lost sight of what is going on.
• If you hear of something new – investigate and dive in with both feet. If people are using a new social media website, don’t just peruse it. Sign up and use it. Having a Facebook or Twitter account, but not actively using it does not count. You cannot sell it or market on it, if you do not understand its idiosyncrasies.
• Set aside at least 30 minutes a day to read up on what is going on. Use Twitter, RSS Feeds, Mashable, Blogs or whatever you would like. Just keep up on the latest news and trends. This can be an enjoyable break from your regular responsibilities.
• Don’t forget to watch TV, listen to the radio and read magazines/newspapers. You need to see what’s popular and what other advertisers are doing.
• Take time to listen to the younger associate’s (or young people in general) at your company. They are likely into current trends and can contribute great ideas.
• Listen to your consumers. Don’t settle for the tactics you have always used to reach them. Speak their language and find where they are.
• If a project comes along that involves something new, volunteer to work on it. Take every advantage to work on projects that involve a new media, technology or process that you do not yet understand.
• Become a futurist. Think big and develop ideas someone hasn’t thought of yet. It’s the fun part of our job.
• Constantly look for ways to make things better. Look to make changes in the way you work. This will help you embrace other types of change that will inevitable come your way.
• Finally, don’t get frustrated. It’s hard to keep up. But keep at it and don’t lose traction.