Daily Inspiration: “The Prime Directive of An Optimistic Futurist: ‘If time is money, then you are richer than you think!’”

“The Prime Directive of An Optimistic Futurist: ‘If time is money, then you are richer than you think!’” – Futurist Jim Carroll

While I was never a hard core Trekkie, I’m a big believer that the show has had a huge impact on how we have invented our future – but perhaps more important, how we perceive that future.

On the first point, consider the devices which were imagined in the 60’s that are a part of our world today: real-time language translation; video-chat, personal communicators, wearable medical devices and tri-corders! Somehow the writers imagined our today, yesterday (as did those involved in the Jetsons and other shows within the 60’s.)

And while Star Trek is not necessarily known for painting an optimistic, rosy view of the future, it certainly seems more hopeful than some other fictional movies and TV shows. Consider “Agent Smith” in The Matrix: “As a species, human beings define their reality through suffering and misery.”

Not terribly inspiring, that.

You know your future is what you make it. You fully comprehend that it is the steps that you take, the path you consider, and the choices along the way that will decide your direction.

It should be pretty obvious that you should let optimism be your guide.

My optimism is found in these fundamental beliefs (based on a blog post I wrote on November 9, 2016 – to me, a very difficult day:)

10 Reasons Why I Still Believe In The Future

• Science still exponentiates
• Knowledge still accelerates
• The global idea machine still reverberates
• Big thinkers still think of how to solve big challenges
• Hyper-connectivity still provides for a reimagined future
• Inventors still invent
• Dreamers still dream
• Innovators still innovate
• Doers still do
• Teachers still teach
• Change agents can still effect positive change
• Optimism can always overcome pessimism
• No barrier to the future is insurmountable with the right determination
• At the end of the day, the majority of people are still decent

In that context, the future is still full of opportunity – and you are richer than you think!