Progress, Friction, Now and the Future
We must catch the spirit of modern progress and achievement, or be shut out by those who have.
When Booker T. Washington spoke those words in 1895, America was at a crossroads. The Industrial Age and the arrival of more than 14 million immigrants was reshaping how the nation worked, lived, and led. Washington’s message was clear: progress is not optional. Those who resisted modernization risked irrelevance.
Today, more than a century later, we stand at a similar moment.
Artificial intelligence and an always-on economy are forcing changes as profoundly as railroads, factories, and electricity once did. Leadership is being redefined in real time. Business isn’t what it used to be. Government especially isn’t what it used to be. And for those who cling to “paper in a mine” models of governance, the cost of delay is falling permanently behind.
Washington also framed the moment that is palpable to today,
“There can be no progress without friction.”
Washington’s reminder is as true now as it was then: 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗹𝘆. Friction is not a signal to slow down, it is proof that we are moving forward. The test of our time is whether we see that friction as a burden, or as the necessary tension that reshapes us for what’s next.
We must, as Washington urged, 𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀, or be shut out by those who have.
About Jeremy
Jeremy Victor is a transformational COO, author, and podcast host focused on helping companies scale with empathy, efficiency, and AI. A human-first operator with 30 years of experience leading through every major tech inflection point—from the birth of the internet to today’s AI revolution—Jeremy turns complexity into growth and chaos into calm.
He’s the voice behind the Business at the Speed of AI podcast and newsletter, where he explores the intersection of leadership, modernization, and the always-on economy. His work is guided by a simple belief: that operational excellence and human connection aren’t trade-offs—they’re the future.
His mission: help people—and the systems they work in—Become More.
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