Successful entrepreneurs are those who have the ability to see rising trends and develop business models to take advantage of emerging  opportunities. It is certainly true that some people have a gift of being able to see trend lines before others, as well as spot opportunities where others believe none exist. I do however feel that most anyone can see such trend lines if they seriously keep their eyes open and their ears to the ground. With the emergence of platforms such as twitter, global news sites and private communities, all of us today have the tools we need to take advantage of these exciting new opportunities.

Some of my favorite reading spots for new trends are:

1. Twitter: Following venture capitalists such as @Fredwilson, @brad & @cdixon provide deep insights into the businesses that are getting funding and why. Other sources like @TechCrunch, @SCOBLEIZER & @Mashable provide great content on the latest happenings in the startup and business world. Whatever your passion may be, there are a host of authority figures on twitter who write about the space that you are interested in. It is then up to you to find out who they are and interact with them.

2. SpringWise: The entire concept of finding new trend spotters from all over the world and aggregating all that data onto one website is very neat. This website helps to stretch the imagination and gives a lot of food for thought for your newest invention, product or service idea. Chances are that if you are thinking about something, someone, somewhere around the world, is not only thinking about it as well, but even building it.

3. Mixergy: Andrew Warners podcasts are absolutely brilliant. He speaks to successful entrepreneurs from all around the world and asks them to elucidate their insights on their route to success as well as their insights on current trends. This not only gives entrepreneurs blueprints for success, it also give them a deep understanding into how leading entrepreneurs think and where they think trends lines are emerging.

Apart from these sources, keep abreast with the latest books, blogs and articles in your area of interest. I know this is a lot to digest, but if you integrate them into your daily routine it becomes a lot easier to manage with time and slowly you will find yourself at the forefront of the latest happenings and trend lines in areas you are most passionate about.