Category Archives: Future

Even though the future seems far away it is actually beginning right now

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“Even though the future seems far away, it is actually beginning right now.”

—Mattie J.T. Stepanek, late American child poet & agent of peace

image of Mattie Stepanek with Oprah Winfrey

Image of Mattie Stepanek from oprah.com

What is the best time to plant a tree? If you’ve heard this question before, you know the answer is something on the order of, “25 years ago.”

The typical follow-up question to this riddle is, “What is the next best time to plant a tree?” The answer is, of course, “Today!”

Those of us who desire a more fruitful future continually look for and take the next step that will begin or continue the journey. In this way, we can realize the future that may initially seem far away.

EXERCISE:

What specific seeds will you plant within your community efforts today? Better yet, what will you do right now to make this possible future a reality?

Build a Future

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“Build a future – don’t just polish the past.”

—Author Unknown

New or Improved? Which of these words conveys the most energy for you?

Both words are often used in advertising and marketing to declare some advantage in a product or service category.

Where are you currently creating something new? In my observations, I see most people (including myself) maintaining the stats quo, simply polishing those things we have already done to brighten our lives a bit.

Creating something entirely new is often a messy process and can look like it is more trouble than it is worth due to the frustration and discouragement that can accompany the effort.

EXERCISE:

Where can and will you build a better future by creating something entirely new in either your personal or professional life, and not just polish your past?

“If you want to change what you are doing today, change your image of the future.”

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“If you want to change what you are doing today, change your image of the future.”

– Glen Hiemstra, author and founder of Futurist.com

524Image from Flickr by bjornmeansbear.

This past week, I watched a program on the Science channel, “Prophets of Science Fiction.” Among the authors profiled were George Lucas, H.G. Wells, Isaac Asimov, and Jules Verne.

Through their creative and innovative writings about their worldview of the future, it was fascinating to see their predictions and considerable influence on our society in such areas as medicine, robotics, space exploration, and a host of other topics.

Exercise:

How can you practice being your own personal futurist, exploring and envisioning those futures that significantly impact what you are doing today?

Consider reading physics professor Michio Kaku’s book, The Physics of the Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100, which speculates on possible technology developments over the next 100 years.

“The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.”

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“The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.”

– Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States

One of my philosophies of life is that what we do each day and who we do it with determines our satisfaction in the moment and manifests our future.

Consider yourself as a gardener, where each day you sow the seeds of success in your professional and personal world, and take care to water and weed your crop throughout the growing season to reap the harvest of a better future.

Exercise:

Take particular note of the daily behaviors and habits that are contributing to a better future.

Recognize where some of your daily efforts or lack of action are creating a less than desirable future and know that it’s not too late to start over tomorrow – because the future, as Lincoln suggests, comes one day at a time.