Business leaders must spend more time thinking about the future. To help make this a habit, I have developed the “Future 15”–a policy of taking 15 minutes once a week to think about the future. To make the habit simple, I encourage business leaders to follow the 6 “F’s”: Every Friday at Four Forty-Five (4:45 pm) set aside Fifteen minutes to Focus on the Future. To make the habit easy, I have posted Fifteen thought-provoking articles. Select one and think about what it means for you, your business, your business model, or your customers.
Think: Insights from a Leading Venture Capitalist. Marc Andreessen believes audio will be “titanically important” and that virtual reality will be 1000 times bigger than augmented reality in the near future. This short article will give you plenty to think about.
Think Twice: Blockchain Contracts Are Finally Good for Something in the Real World. You might not think blockchain is anything more than hype but if you believe this is it may be time to think twice because you could be on Thin Ice!
Think Historically: The US and China Are in a Quantum Arms Race That Will Transform Warfare. Coding breaking and Radar changed the course of World War II. Quantum technologies will determine the fate of future wars.
Think Different: A Walking Concept Car. A car with legs might sound silly, but this idea could have practical applications in the field of robotics. The benefit of thinking different is, well, thinking different.
Think Smarter: These Are the Five Hottest Gadget Trends for 2019. 5G smartphones, wireless recharging, and foldable electronics are already here and are poised to grow in the year ahead.
Think Harder: Here’s How Lyft Envisions Self-Drivings Cars Communicating With Pedestrians. A great example of thinking harder–Lyft is getting out in front of an issue that it knows is coming.
Think Like a Child: Powers of Ten. A classic video from 1977 guaranteed to reinvigorate your sense of wonder. The world around us is simultaneously larger and smaller than we imagine.
Think in Questions: Do You Have a Marketing Problem? This question is always a good one for business leaders to ask themselves–and think about.
Think 10X: Kroger-Owned Grocery Store Begins Driverless Deliveries. This trend is just getting started. If you are in the grocery, retail, or transportation industries, take some time to “think 10X” about driverless deliveries.
Think Bigger: The Coming Explosion in Light Electric Vehicles. Electric bikes and scooters are transforming how some people get around in cities but this trend is just beginning. Whether you are a city planner, a commuter, or even an entrepreneur the time to start thinking about this trend is now.
Think Faster: 2019’s Top Ten Tech Quick Hits. The future is arriving fast. The ten technologies outlined in this article are all expected to make their debut this year.
Think Radically: For some more radical ideas of what might happen in 2019, check out Futurist Jack Uldrich’s Predictions for 2019.
Think Anew: North Face’s New Breathable, Waterproof Fabric Might Be the Holy Grail of Outdoor Gear. All clothing might soon be waterproof. If you are in the retail, clothing or fashion industries, it is time to think anew about some items.
Think Sustainably: Combustion Engine Cars Have Have Peaked in 2018. What might this trend mean for you and your business?
Think the Unthinkable: Why Is It So Cool to Be Gloomy? This might seems to be a strange article to list under the “think the unthinkable” category but thinking that the world is getting better seems to be unthinkable for a great many people, but it is a FACT! (Here’s a bonus article spelling out how the world is improving: Why 2018 Was The Best Year in Human History.)
Want to think again? You can always revisit last week’s “Future 15”.
Until next week, remember: Don’t stop thinking about the future!
