Ford’s new Unlearn is urging people to step outside of their comfort zone, think more laterally, and reappraise what is still relevant to their lives and beliefs….reports Asian Lite News
104 year old marathon runner, Fauja Singh redefines OAP for Ford Unlearn, as an inspirational campaign ambassador
104-year-old record-breaking marathon runner Fauja Singh is living embodiment of the importance of thinking differently by redefining what it is to be an OAP. From Charles Darwin to Sir Tim Berners-Lee, thinking differently has long been a characteristic of British innovation. A new study reveals it’s what drives us as a nation – Two thirds (67 per cent) are motivated by the need to progress and one-in-two (50 per cent) say finding a fresh perspective is crucial for overcoming challenges.
Fauja Singh is inspirational in many ways. But his reputation as a record-breaking marathon runner teaches us we should keep an open mind towards older people. Today, a new survey of 2,000 UK adults from Ford reveals an ability to ‘unlearn’ – to let go of what you know and look at life from a different angle – is seen as one of the key ingredients of progress by British people.
The UK study, commissioned to mark the launch of Ford’s Unlearn campaign, reveals having an open mind is more important than self-discipline for many of us. Two thirds of us (67 per cent) believe we are driven by the need to progress and one in two (50 per cent) say finding a fresh perspective – the definition of unlearn – is crucial for overcoming challenges.
Unlearn is a concept that urges people to step outside of their comfort zone, think more laterally, and reappraise what is still relevant to their lives and beliefs.. It is a state of mind that encourages constant innovation and stimulates progress. By rejecting familiar but limiting beliefs, we open our minds to new ways of moving forward.
We are increasingly living life through a lens, updating the world daily of our whereabouts via social channels. However, contrary to our actions, more than three quarters of the nation (77 per cent) would rather blend into the background and go unnoticed. This suggests a need to unlearn following the crowd and to carve our own individual paths.
Ford are urging the nation to unlearn through some thought-provoking examples:
- 104-year-old Fauja Singh, a record-breaking marathon runner who turns OAP perceptions on their head
- Tiddles the micropig, an alternative to the family cat
- A pack of dogs left chasing a drone as a parcel delivery service goes hi-tech and replaces the postman.
Campaign ambassador Fauja Singh moved to the UK aged 80 after losing his wife and two daughters. He channelled his grief into running and uses it as an opportunity to move forward with life. This could be a tactic adopted more in the UK, as only one in three admit to letting go of past behaviours and trying a new approach when they have found themselves in a challenging situation.
Fauja Singh said: “I think I am an ambassador for Unlearn because of what I’ve achieved. I’ve changed people’s minds about old people so that they think old people can achieve much themselves.”
Andy Barratt, Chairman and Managing Director of Ford of Britain said: “Unlearn is a way of thinking that encourages constant innovation and stimulates progress. By rejecting the familiar and limiting beliefs, we open our minds to new ways of moving forward.”
“We know it’s important to people to progress, which is why we are looking into the future with sustainability, smart mobility, innovation and vehicles that deserve a fresh look”.
Ford has long demonstrated its belief in the principles of unlearn, from its earliest days as a vehicle manufacturer. Henry Ford aimed to improve people’s lives by “opening the roads to all mankind” and to this day Ford is developing new ways for people to get around in the 21st century, from car ride schemes in London to autonomous driving experiments in the United States.
For more information on Unlearn visit: unlearn.ford.co.uk – Please see the gallery below
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