Feed Your Curiosity and Hone Your Intuition.
My curiosity often gets me into weird but fascinating corners of the (digital) world. If anyone reading this is willing to pay me for browsing, scanning, researching, and often thinking ‘hmmm’ – contact me immediately!
People around me roll their eyes when I start with another “what if…” or “imagine…” – they’re busy living their lives, while I’m busy exploring possible futures and connecting the dots.
So, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that I’m now taking a course on Futurism. And no, we’re not talking about the artistic movement.
Now, you may think: why bother? Let the professionals play with futures thinking! But I think we could all benefit from stretching our comfort zones and imagining possible futures.
Because whether you like it or not:
“The future is already here – it’s just not evenly distributed.”
– William Gibson
The world is changing fast. Like REALLY FAST.
New technologies pop up overnight, what’s popular shifts constantly, and sometimes it feels like we’re just trying to catch up.
Wouldn’t it be awesome to get a little ahead of that curve?
That’s where thinking like a futurist comes in.
No, it doesn’t mean seeing visions of flying cars (though that’d be cool). It’s simply about being proactive, understanding trends, and preparing for the “what ifs?”
This stuff isn’t just for big companies or sci-fi geeks; it can seriously improve our lives, both personally and for the whole planet.
Why Bother with the Future?
We’ve entered times when the maps we inherited no longer apply. It’s uncharted territory – both scary and exciting.
Futures Thinking can help you with:
- Smarter Decisions: Thinking ahead helps you avoid getting blindsided by change and make choices that benefit you long-term.
- Spotting Opportunities: See the next big thing before everyone else, whether it’s a career shift or a business idea.
- Staying Agile: The future’s going to throw curveballs. Being a bit of a futurist helps you roll with the punches.
- Power Up Your Brain: Thinking about the future boosts creativity, problem-solving…it’s like a workout for your mind!
- Be Part of the Solution: Want a better world? Futurist thinking helps us focus on positive change and those big problems we need to tackle together.
“The best way to predict your future is to create it.” – Abraham Lincoln
Okay, But I’m Not a Fortune Teller…
And it’s good to know I don’t need to be!
Futurists have awesome tools to make things less guesswork and more strategic – and no crystal balls or tea leaves involved.
Here’s a few from the Futurists’ toolbox:
- Scenario Planning: It’s like those “Choose Your Own Adventure” books, but for the future, letting you play out different possibilities.
- Trend Analysis: You become a trend detective, spotting patterns that hint at where things are headed.
- Systems Thinking: This is about connecting the dots, seeing how everything impacts everything else.
Start Small, Think Big & Tune Into Your Surroundings
You can start dabbling in futurism right now. The world around you is full of clues about where things might be going.
Here are some questions to spark Your thinking:
- What’s something I’m seeing more and more of lately? Does this seem like a fad, or a shift with staying power?
- What are people talking about excitedly (or complaining about constantly)? What problem might that signal?
- Is there a new product or service I’m starting to see everywhere that hints at a changing need?
Hone Your Futurist Skills Daily
- Instead of just reacting to the changes you see around you, get curious, ask more questions, wonder.
- Look the darkness in the facehttps://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/P5Z20RVq5dA?rel=0&autoplay=0&showinfo=0&enablejsapi=0
- Collect different signals about the possible future and hone your hunches.
In a world where there is so much uncertainty and change, it’s good to develop your ability to see what’s not obvious.
Sometimes, especially at early stages, a lot of change happens beneath the surface and cannot be seen – it has to be SENSED. Don’t ignore your intuition; it’s not illogical or unscientific. In the Age of Ai, your gut feeling can be a viable source of information.
So, what are you excited (or maybe a little nervous) about when you think about the future?
