Reports from the Knowledge Labs about our recent findings, research topics, and interviews with lifestyle leaders who are creating their own futures.
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How to stimulate your own powers of foresight. Consider the following thought provokers. Ask yourself, in these categories what are the brand new trends and forces? Which are the ones growing in importance? Which current forces are loosing their steam? Which have peaked or are reversing themselves? Which are the "wildcards" about to disrupt us in the future? POLITICAL AND TECHNICAL thought for food: Electronics, Materials, Energy, Fossil, Nuclear, Alternative, Other, Manufacturing (techniques), Agriculture, Machinery and Equipment, Distribution, Transportation (Urban, Mass, Personal, Surface, Sea, Subsurface, Space), Communication (Printed, Spoken, Interactive, Media), Computers (Information, Knowledge, Storage & Retrieval, Design, Network Resources), Post-Cold War, Third World, Conflict (Local, Regional, Global), Arms Limitation, Undeclared Wars, Terrorism, Nuclear Proliferation, Weapons of Mass Destruction, Governments (More/Less Power and Larger or Smaller Scale), Taxes, Isms: Nationalism, Regionalism, Protectionism, Populism, Cartels, Multinational Corporations, Balance of Trade, Third Party Payments, Regulations (OSHA, etc.) Environmental Impact, U.S. Prestige Abroad. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC Food for thought:
Labor Movements, Unemployment / Employment Cycles, Recession, Employment Patterns, Work Hours / Schedules, Fringe Benefits, Management Approaches, Accounting Policies, Productivity, Energy Costs, Balance of Payments, Inflation, Taxes, Rates of Real Growth, Distribution of Wealth, Capital Availability and Costs, Reliability of Forecasts, Raw Materials, Availability and Costs, Global versus National Economy, Market versus Planned Economies, Generations: Y, X, Boomers, Elderly, Urban vs. Rural Lifestyles, Affluent vs. Poor, Neighborhoods and Communities, Planned or Organic Growth.
Got Knowledge?
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The Journal of 2020 Foresight
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Tuesday, July 18, 2006
The Adventure Always Starts from Within
Chapter Four: The Tribal Territories
By Steve Howard, CKO
The Knowledge Labs
Table of Contents
Chapter One: Basecamp
Chapter Two: The Ridge
Chapter Three: The Outpost
Chapter Four: The Tribal Territories
“Cousin Jed is driving his beautiful funky car down Highway 1. Just at the edge is where Jed gets stopped by Officer Carmichael. That’s where Jed killed him. When I was writing this I had no idea what I was doing, so I was just as surprised as you are. Jed went to jail and I guess he’s still there. And you know who else is there.“
Neil Young & Crazy Horse “Greendale”
DOUBLE NICKEL RANCH. The path forward is never as easy as planned, especially if you may chose to or are forced to work through part of your retirement years. Each of us who have reached middle age, or beyond, realizes that we have sacrificed a part of ourselves just to make a living.
Journal of 2020 Foresight: Over the next five years, we all have an opportunity to realize a significant portion of our dreams. But, what is right for me isn’t necessarily right for you.
Pathfinder: Exactly. What’s right for you? What do you want to do?
Do you want to pursue a hobby or craft? What about a bed and breakfast business you'd like to start? Or do you have a passion for a charitable organization you'd like to support? How about travel to the four corners of the world or studying subjects you never took in college -- or both?
Eagle: I’ve found that exploring issues requires reflection time, but out of them will emerge a new dream that inspires you. And vision fuels the future you want.
Pathfinder: For the first time in your life, you may no longer need a house that's dedicated to family, located in a good school district, or a convenient distance from the office. As Harry Dent asks, “Where have you always wanted to live? On an island? In the mountains? In a pied-à-terre downtown, near restaurants, museums and shops?”
J2020F: The possibilities are endless, but you would be wise to consider long-term trends in your decision – based upon our last discussion.
Pathfinder: And lucky for us, much of the hard work had been done through the fleshing out of four scenarios that describe Baby Boom futures – we’ve called them the Lone Eagle Scenarios.
Eagle: I guess that’s my cue to walk through them.
J2020F: Please do. Trailblazer described them as stories that you and Explorer wrote, originally in 1997, right?
Eagle: Yes. Explorer and I had just completed Basecamp with Pathfinder and our next step was to meet with Trailblazer at The Ridge to future-proof two different options.
Pathfinder: The major difference boiled down to your plan to build “Mobile Knowledge Products” and in the process, figure out if you could do what you love most in a much higher quality of life community.
Eagle: That’s right, establishing “Mobile KnowCos.” And Explorer wanted to return to corporate life as a change advocate. In my scenarios, I’d describe him as “Staying Put and Doing What He Loved.”
Pathfinder: In his four scenarios, you would most fit his “Agent” or one of his “Academic” talent-clusters.
J2020F: In either set of future stories, you examine your choice to follow one of eleven paths you can take based on a whole host of personal life and work life considerations critically important to you at your current stage in life.
Pathfinder: That’s right. The original expedition based in Basecamp called this approach the “Future by Life Design.” Whereas, Trailblazer monitors the outer rings – the macro forces, we begin with your core at the center.
Eagle: What I discovered is when you peal away the layers to your inner most foundations it reveals a spiritual source housed in a body within a specific phase of a lifespan.
J2020F: So this is our source of inspiration.
Pathfinder: The world is a place full of interesting options for those who plan to fully explore their potential. The adventure starts from within.
Eagle: And four different stories can be told about your future journey. Each tells a different way that those options play out while you are doing what you love.
Pathfinder: Which lay out the foundation for contingency plans A, B, C & D.
J2020F: Is that how I can future-proof my plans?
Got Knowledge?
Copyright ©2002 - 2006 Aarnaes Howard Associates. All rights reserved worldwide.
7:40 AM
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