---
# "Decoding Tomorrow: The Infinite Pivot Series - #9 "Remember that many opportunities are often found out on the edge"
**URL:** https://jimcarroll.com/2026/04/decoding-tomorrow-the-infinite-pivot-series-9-remember-that-many-opportunities-are-often-found-out-on-the-edge/
Date: 2026-04-08
Author: JimCarroll
Post Type: post
Summary: “Remember that many opportunities are often found out on the edge” – Futurist Jim Carroll Futurist Jim Carroll is writing a series, The Art of the Infinite Pivot, based on 36 lessons from his 36 years as a solo entrepreneur, working as a nomadic worker in the global freelance economy. The series is unfolding here, and […]
Categories: ArtofthePivot, Blog, Daily Inspiration, Reinvention
Featured Image: https://jimcarroll.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/InfinitePivot9-Opportunities.jpg
---
*"Remember that many opportunities are often found out on the edge"* - Futurist Jim Carroll
*Futurist Jim Carroll is writing a series, The Art of the Infinite Pivot, based on 36 lessons from his 36 years as a solo entrepreneur, working as a nomadic worker in the global freelance economy. The series is unfolding here, and at *[*pivot.jimcarroll.com*](https://pivot.jimcarroll.com/)*.*
If you want to know where your next pivot is coming from, stop looking at the center of your industry.
Look to the edges instead.
Why is that? The center is crowded, safe, and focused on yesterday’s success, and that fact often means that not much innovative, disruptive thinking is occurring there. To pivot is to chase new opportunities, and I've followed that reality: throughout my 36-year voyage, every major shift I made, from the Internet in '94 to AI in '26, was found by looking at the outliers on the outskirts of the mainstream.
1994 and earlier? The "serious" business world dismissed the Internet because it looked unpolished and unprofitable. It was an anomaly on the periphery. But I wasn't looking for "*safe*"; I was looking for the unique opportunities this rapidly emerging world of global connectivity provided. I realized that the people on the edge were building a new reality while the people in the boardroom were busy defending an old one. (The telecom world of the time, a true dinosaur, had a vastly different view of how the future would unfold, one which they dramatically and fully controlled.)
To make the pivot, I had to stop trying to fit in with the "*standard*" view of tomorrow and start to follow an unconventional path.
I chased many similar future opportunities in the same way, which led me to realize that much of what is involved with 'edge-thinking' makes you someone with a unique viewpoint. Today, that has led to my forthcoming book, *Being Unique*, which takes a look at how '*edge thinkers*' approach opportunities. Uniqueness? *It’s not just a personality trait; it’s a competitive research strategy*. Whether you are an individual reinventing your career or a CEO repositioning a global brand, you have to develop an ear for signals on the periphery. These are the small, quiet developments happening far away from the "*proven*" markets or the '*expected*' future.
The standard worldview is designed for stability, but the edge is designed for experimentation. If you wait for a trend to be "*proven,*" you've already missed the window for a high-value pivot.
You have to be willing to leave the comfort of the "*known*" and spend time out on the edge.
Because that is often where the future happens.
Look for the ideas that your industry currently ignores or dismisses.
Because that is exactly where your opportunity is hiding.
---
## Categories
- ArtofthePivot
- Blog
- Daily Inspiration
- Reinvention
---
## Navigation
- [Futurist Keynote Speaker Jim Carroll: Disruptive Trend & Innovation Expert](https://jimcarroll.com/)
- [HOME](https://jimcarroll.com)
- [WHY JIM?](https://jimcarroll.com/why-book-jim/)
- [SIGNATURE KEYNOTES](https://jimcarroll.com/signature-keynotes/)
- [BOOKS](https://jimcarroll.com/books/)
- [INDUSTRIES](https://jimcarroll.com/topics-trends/industry-focused-keynotes-with-futurist-jim-carroll/)
- [CEO/CxO EVENTS](https://jimcarroll.com/ceo-leadership-events/)
- [CUSTOMER / CLIENT EVENTS](https://jimcarroll.com/customer-client-user-group-keynotes-with-futurist-jim-carroll/)
- [Agriculture](https://jimcarroll.com/keynote_topics/big-trends-in-agriculture-what-will-the-worlds-oldest-profession-look-like-in-2045/)
- [Automotive](https://jimcarroll.com/keynote_topics/being-unique-simple-strategies-for-finding-your-creativity-accelerating-innovation-and-getting-to-your-future-faster/)
- [Construction](https://jimcarroll.com/keynote_topics/constructing-new-futures-the-acceleration-of-the-residential-and-industrial-construction-industries/)
- [Consumer Products](https://jimcarroll.com/keynote_topics/consumer-products-innovating-at-the-speed-of-instant-obsolesence/)
- [Education](https://jimcarroll.com/keynote_topics/industry-education/)
- [Energy](https://jimcarroll.com/keynote_topics/industry-energy/)
- [Financial Services](https://jimcarroll.com/keynote_topics/industry-financial/)
- [Food, Grocery and Restaurants](https://jimcarroll.com/keynote_topics/food-and-restaurants-innovation-and-disruption-at-the-speed-of-relentless-customer-change/)
- [Golf & Sports](https://jimcarroll.com/keynote_topics/future-trends-acceleration-of-golf/)
- [Healthcare](https://jimcarroll.com/keynote_topics/industry-healthcare/)
- [Insurance](https://jimcarroll.com/keynote_topics/industry-insurance/)
- [Manufacturing](https://jimcarroll.com/keynote_topics/industry-manufacturing/)
- [Media & Tech](https://jimcarroll.com/keynote_topics/from-lightbulbs-to-yottabits-leadership-agility-when-faster-defines-the-speed-of-fast/)
- [Retail](https://jimcarroll.com/keynote_topics/industry-retail/)
- [GLOBAL CLIENTS](https://jimcarroll.com/events-highlights/)
- [INSIGHT](https://jimcarroll.com/insight/)
- [THE BIG FUTURE](https://jimcarroll.com/topics-trends/big-future/)
- [2025 Strategies](https://jimcarroll.com/category/2025/)
- [DAILY INSPIRATION](https://jimcarroll.com/daily-motivation/)
- [TRENDS](https://jimcarroll.com/insight-index/?tag=trends)
- [INNOVATION](https://jimcarroll.com/insight-index/?tag=innovation)
- [BLOG](https://jimcarroll.com/blog/)
- [CONTACT JIM](https://jimcarroll.com/contact/)
- [Follow Me!](https://jimcarroll.com/follow-me/)
- [ArtofthePivot](https://jimcarroll.com/category/artofthepivot/)
- [Blog](https://jimcarroll.com/category/blog/)
- [Daily Inspiration](https://jimcarroll.com/category/daily-inspiration/)
- [Reinvention](https://jimcarroll.com/category/reinvention/)
- [2026 PRINCIPLES](https://2026.jimcarroll.com/)
- [AI KEYNOTES](https://jimcarroll.ai)
- [AI MEGATRENDS](https://jimcarroll.com/ai-megatrends)
- [THE "BIG" FUTURE](https://bigfuture.jimcarroll.com)
---
## Footer Links
- [Jim's Facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/futuristjimcarroll)
- [You'll find Jim's latest videos on Youtube](https://youtube.com/jimcarroll)
- [Mastodon. What's on Jim's mind? Check his feed!](https://futurist.info/@jimcarroll)
- [LinkedIn - reach out to Jim for a professional connection!](https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrolljim/)
- [Flickr! Get inspired! A massive archive of all of Jim's daily inspirational quotes!](https://www.flickr.com/futurist-jimcarroll)
- [Instagram - the home for Jim's motivational mind!](https://www.instagram.com/futuristjimcarroll/)
- [VIEW OTHER BOOKS](/books/)
- [ABOUT](https://jimcarroll.com/about-jim-carroll/)
- [WHY JIM?](https://jimcarroll.com/why-book-jim/)
- [TOPICS](https://jimcarroll.com/topics-trends/)
- [HIGHLIGHTS](https://jimcarroll.com/events-highlights/)
- [INSIGHT](https://jimcarroll.com/insight-index/)
- [BLOG](https://jimcarroll.com/blog/)
- [BOOK JIM](https://jimcarroll.com/contact/)
- [Who Designed This Website?](http://studio1design.com/)
- [Home – Main](https://jimcarroll.com/)
- [Highlights](https://jimcarroll.com/highlights/)
- [Videos](https://jimcarroll.com/videos/)
- [Daily Motivational Insight](https://jimcarroll.com/daily-motivation/)
- [Follow Me](https://jimcarroll.com/follow-me/)
- [Core](/glossary/)
- [Deep Dive I](/expanded-glossary/)
- [Deep Dive II](/expanded-glossary-volume-2/)
- [2026](https://2026.jimcarroll.com)
- [Megatrends](https://megatrends.jimcarroll.com)
- [Forward](https://forward.jimcarroll.com)
- [Tomorrow](https://tomorrow.jimcarroll.com)