"Some people are so caught up in the blindness of their ideology that they have lost their ability to see" - Futurist Jim Carroll

(Note: I've started two new websites in the last few days, all while pounding out hundreds of meters downhill at my ski club. The first, at volatility.jimcarroll.com, is a response to my belief that a global downturn is now inevitable. The second? It's a little more fun - it's at now.jimcarroll.com - and is simply a little Website about some things I'm doing ... now!)

The future belongs to those who see it coming.

But another side of this coin is that the future never belongs to those who refuse to see it coming.

When I say "Some people are so caught up in the blindness of their ideology that they have lost their ability to see," I'm speaking of a fundamental truth about innovation in our accelerating world. (You thought I was talking about something else. I am! The delusional insanity is real!)

There are a lot of people who refuse to see the reality of the future that is coming. They don't realize the errors of their ways (or the imperviousness of the cult of which they are a member) until it is far too late. It's a sad fact that in my 30+ years advising global organizations on future trends, I've witnessed a recurring pattern: those who cling to outdated thinking consistently miss the massive disruption happening right in front of them!

Here's the brutal reality: Your rigidity is your biggest innovation killer.

Has complacency become your comfort zone? In today's era of hyperchange, that's a death sentence for your organization!

What I see time and again is people waiting for clarity that might never come - waiting for perfect information in an imperfect world. Meanwhile, your competitors are shifting fast and stealing your future!

The path forward requires a radical mind shift:

- abandon short-term thinking and embrace longer transformational horizons
stop ignoring obvious trends that are causing massive upheaval

- break free from past success patterns that blind you to future opportunities
challenge EVERY assumption about where your industry is headed

- create a culture where inaction is the only unacceptable option

And please, banish the myth that innovation is only for "special people"! In today's world, everyone must be an innovator.

The future belongs to those who see it coming!

Oh, and on that other thing?

Let's just hope those people get some clarity before it's too late!

Futurist Jim Carroll coined this phrase while carefully responding to an inflammatory comment that he saw.

**#Innovation** **#Future** **#Vision** **#Disruption** **#Ideology** **#Change** **#Rigidity** **#Opportunity** **#Transformation** **#Clarity**

Original post: https://jimcarroll.com/2025/03/daily-inspiration-ideological-blindness-some-people-are-so-caught-up-in-the-blindness-of-their-ideology-that-they-have-lost-their-ability-to-see/

"What makes you unique is what will make you successful!" - Futurist Jim Carroll

From one book project to two others!

I'm working away on Escaping Mediocrity, but the other book that is waiting in the wings is "Being Unique."

I've been away from the project for some time, but came to realize that, like the lost Basement Tapes, I've got a lost Chapter 11 of the book that I wrote and misplaced! Since I'm not sure where we stand with the project at this point - I've been away from it for so long - I'm not sure if
I worked it into the most recent 'final' manuscript or not!

Reading it, it's a pretty good summary wrap-up for the book, and so I'll share it here!

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The world is moving at a blistering pace. The future isn't just coming - it's accelerating. And in this high-velocity reality, being different isn't just an option - it's your strategic weapon for getting there first.

That much should be clear from reading this book.

The Uniqueness Imperative

With that being the case, here’s the key point you should take away: the safe path to tomorrow is now the riskiest route.

That’s because while others race to conform, real opportunities emerge for those who dare to stand apart.

This isn't just about being different - it's about being ahead.

Consider these realities:

Innovation happens at the edges, where unique thinking flourishes

Breakthroughs come from those who see patterns others miss

The future belongs to those who refuse to fit into today's boxes

Think about how the world works now:

While everyone chases the same opportunities, the unique find new ones

When others seek consensus, the different ones create breakthroughs

As many follow established paths, the distinctive forge new ones

The Strategic Power of Being Different

That’s what you need to keep in mind as you carve out your unique place in the world.

The future marketplace has no room for the ordinary. Every commodity skill is being automated. Every standard approach is being disrupted.

Every conventional wisdom is being challenged.

You need to think about your uniqueness as your strategic superpower: and here’s where your uniqueness becomes strategic:

When you think differently, you see opportunities first

When you act differently, you get to those opportunities faster

When you innovate differently, you create opportunities others miss

And you need to do this at the speed demanded by today’s world.

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Jim’s book, Being Unique — And Why It Will Get to Your Future Faster, will be released sometime during the spring of 2025!

#Uniqueness #Innovation #Strategy #Acceleration #Differentiation #Leadership #Future #Success #Disruption #Opportunity

Original post: https://jimcarroll.com/2025/02/daily-inspiration-being-unique-what-makes-you-unique-is-what-will-make-you-successful/

"Imagine a crazy idea. Now imagine it's real. That's your future!" - Futurist Jim Carroll

In a few hours, I'll be speaking at the annual event for Texas Farm Credit Bank. In the room? A few hundred folks are on the various local Boards of the organization, most of whom are farmers themselves. In that capacity, they are often involved in decisions involving the financing of fellow farmers throughout the state. It;'s kind of a unique setup.

I'll be covering, of course, a variety of key themes for them, all of which involve the future of agriculture.

Of course, my talk takes a look at a lot of unique trends, some of which are very short-term and very real, and others which are longer-term and as of this moment in time, not yet so real. 

And in fact, some of those trends might seem to be somewhat crazy.
I'm putting the question to them - would they be prepared to fund these 'crazy' ideas?

Such as tricorders for cows?

How about a laser-based weed-whacking robot?

Or a series of cotton-picking robots?

Or even a virtual 24-hour farm that is operated pretty much like today's Farmville video game?

The thing is - while all these ideas might seem crazy to them, many of them are rapidly reaching reality. 

Tricorders for cows? We've got clips that monitor for bovine respiratory disease, and ingestible bolus devices that monitor for temperature acidosis in cows' stomachs, with wireless reporting within 20 feet. We're also seeing the early arrival of robotic picking devices and other technologies on the farm.

Weed-whacking robots? Got that covered too.

That's the thing about the future - your crazy is someone else's reality. 
Here's my take on this wild and wonderful journey from "crazy" to "of course!" - and trust me, after 30 years of studying innovation, I've seen this movie play out again and again! Every time someone says "That's impossible!
" or "That's crazy!" I get this huge grin on my face. Why? Because I've learned that today's "impossible" is tomorrow's "obviously!"

My message this morning? Drop those blinders! Look around! The future isn't some distant dream - it's being built right now, all around us. And it's coming at us faster than anyone expects. They might find themselves funding some pretty fascinating technologies and ideas in the not-too-distant future.

What's the lesson for you? Do you want to know the real secret to spot the next big thing? Study the pattern of crazy! That's where the future is often found!

And if you have your crazy ideas - good for you! You're on the right path - The next time someone tells you your idea is too crazy, remember this: every great innovation starts with someone willing to look foolish.

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Futurist Jim Carroll often finds future clarity in the crazy.

**#Innovation** **#Agriculture** **#Technology** **#Robotics** **#Future** **#Disruption** **#Automation** **#Vision** **#Progress** **#Transformation**

https://jimcarroll.com/2025/02/daily-inspiration-agriculture-trends-imagine-a-crazy-idea-now-imagine-its-real-thats-your-future/