On a recent mountain trail run, where I had the freedom, space, and self-generated motion to ponder life’s mysteries, an observation of the trail ahead offered a clear explanation of the essence of the nebulous concept: What is the future and who owns it?
From a single vantage point, I could look up trail a few miles, knowing if I persisted on my given course, faced any challenges, I would reach that pinnacle, in my future. There it was, so simple and so clear. Whether climbing a mountain towards a pre-determined summit, running a trail, or running a business, we determine a goal, in the future, and thanks to our own determinism, we take on the challenges and we arrive. The future goal is now accomplished in the present.
Sure, there are those who say they create and own one’s future. Parents who pre-determine their baby’s route to success, to the teachers along the way who qualify one’s goals, through their own prism of ideology, to friends who want one to stay in their gang and follow their goals. And by those whose credentialed profession qualify them as futurists, whose conclusions, often valuable, are derived from analysis of trends, often analytical based in statistics, sourced by humans as well as AI. Their predictions should be considered as a guidepost on one’s trail, only as a gentle reminder. It is your trail, your goal, your future.
Though the farmer determines his future and his success by the seeds he plants, by the support of these seeds as they mature, by the harvesting and sales, the seed also has its own determined future to survive, grow, disseminate its own seeds for its future.
Yes, we own our futures by what we establish as our goal, our summit, our trailhead. We can avoid any victimism with this knowledge. Possibly these few ideas may help you build the future you imagine:
The Dream to Mainstream Futurist Trail Guide
1. Review your future goals periodically and refresh them. There are no futurist monitors to restrict these future goals. Dream big.
2. Turn to those you trust to address potential challenges. Your gut knows the trusted ones.
3. Persist on your given trail. Enjoy the challenges along the way. Admire the views. Jump over the distractions.
4. Cheer loudly when you reach that future goal. Thank those who helped along the way.
5. Set a new one. If it’s on the same mountain, try a new trail and bring your team along.
6. You are your own futurist. Enjoy the adventure of creating the life you imagine.
We are here to help, as needed.
Gillian