“I just have to be the hunter, not the hunted,” Mercadante wrote in a LinkedIn post, recalling a mantra he developed as a child to overcome fear. That same mentality, he argues, is critical today as AI transforms industries and careers at unprecedented speed.

Mercadante emphasized that major global upheavals—from 9/11 to the 2008 financial crisis to the COVID-19 pandemic—reshaped the world for those who failed to adapt. Now, the rise of AI presents a similar inflection point. Those who freeze, fall into victimhood, or try to compete with machines by acting like them will fall behind, he said. Those who stay alert, harness AI strategically, and adapt faster than the environment shifts will thrive.

Resilience, Mercadante noted, starts with situational awareness: reading patterns, adapting early, and refusing to be paralyzed by fear. “In times like these, those who stay alert move first. And those who move first have the best chance of thriving,” he wrote.

Curt Mercadante is an agency owner and serial entrepreneur. He is co-founder of Accelerate Media Labs and Pipeline Media Agency, as well as Freedom Rising Enterprises. He has spoken to and coached entrepreneurs and audiences around the globe, and is author of the Amazon bestseller, Five Pillars of the Freedom Lifestyle.