HOW TO BECOME A FUTURIST

How can you become a futurist – and consistently find ways to stay one step ahead of the curve? As I explain in smash hit book Learn to Think Like a Futurist, it’s not as hard as yo think – and virtually anyone can learn (with a little time and practice) how to see tomorrow today.

It’s a good thing too, as we often explain to keynote speaking audiences: If there’s one thing you can expect going forward, it’s the unexpected. But again, on the bright side, you don’t have to be psychic to see what’s coming around the corner, or especially brilliant or talented to successfully navigate through chaos and stay ahead of the curve. Better still: Anyone can learn to more effectively spot and adapt to rising trends just by asking more pointed questions and exercising a little bit more critical thinking. In other words, learning to contemplate the possibility of future events and make a game of asking yourself what if? more frequently can help you better plan and prepare for possible future outcomes, just as the more that you make a point to role play through possible scenarios and exercise problem-solving skills, the more you’ll discover that the type of critical thinking that futurists use is a skill that can be strengthened through repeated exercise.

Think about it: When we get married, it’s common to assume it will last a lifetime, just as when we make investments, we assume they’ll pay off in the long run – but these assumptions often don’t turn out the way we anticipate. Which often leaves us wondering: What would we do if things changed and didn’t go according to plan… how would we adapt in turn? In effect, that’s what a futurist does – albeit we make a point to consider possibilities (and possible backup plans) much sooner.

As I’ve been getting at, you don’t have to be born with exceptional IQ, talent, or luck to brainstorm your way to success here either. Just a little bit more pointed and persistent in the way that you choose to address challenges. A little tactical thinking – and willingness to adjust one’s tactics in light of new information – can go a long way towards helping you future-proof yourself, your business, and your career.