Highlights from 1,200 plus stages
2 million people in audiences
around the world
Jim lives on stages around the world. Here’s a sneak peak at his daily life!
Reload the page to reload the images – there’s a few thousand!
Decoding Tomorrow: Mastering 2026 – #6 "Make more 'better' mistakes!"
"Make more 'better' mistakes!" - Futurist Jim Carroll In 2026, your new ROI should be ROF - "Return on Failure" We are on Day 6.…
Daily Inspiration: Creativity and Innovation - "There's nothing worse than not trying!"
"There's nothing worse than not trying!" - Futurist Jim Carroll My wife and I have recently been watching the show "Anything is Possible" over on…
Daily Inspiration: “Try as you might, you can’t mask your mistakes and hide your failures forever!”
“Try as you might, you can’t mask your mistakes and hide your failures forever!” - Futurist Jim Carroll Transparency will always win in the long…
Daily Inspiration: “It’s no longer just survival of the fittest - it’s now the absolute dominance of the fastest!”
“It’s no longer just survival of the fittest - it’s now the absolute dominance of the fastest!” - Futurist Jim Carroll Time travel! This photo…
Daily Inspiration: “Cars and trucks? They’re becoming upgradeable, hyperconnected, intelligent, data gathering electric technology platforms (with wheels!)”
“Cars and trucks? They’re becoming upgradeable, hyperconnected, intelligent, data gathering electric technology platforms (with wheels!)” - Futurist Jim Carroll A keynote for the Canadian Finance…
Daily Inspiration: “Has your product and strategy suddenly become something from the olden days?”
“Has your product and strategy suddenly become something from the olden days?” - Futurist Jim Carroll We live in a time in which some new…
The 10 Words That Can Jumpstart Your Innovation Efforts!
Last month, the Entrepreneur and Family Business Council of DePaul University had me in for a talk to their members - essentially, owners of medium…
Daily Inspiration: “Wishful thinking does not a reality make!”
“Wishful thinking does not a reality make!” - Futurist Jim Carroll There are now two types of people in the world as a result of…
Daily Inspiration: "Things that worked for you in the past might now be the anchor that holds you back. Abandon your legacy - embrace a new one!"
Daily Inspiration: "Patience is a tumultuous virtue for the impatient!"
"Patience is a tumultuous virtue for the impatient!" - Futurist Jim Carroll This post with a picture about skiing is actually about electric vehicles and…
Daily Inspiration: “It’s the small ideas that become the big opportunities!”
“It’s the small ideas that become the big opportunities!” - Futurist Jim Carroll My new virtual studio is rocking. Uncertainty rocks our world too, and so…
Daily Inspiration: “Don’t fail to meet the moment. Make your own moment!”
“Don’t fail to meet the moment. Make your own moment!” - Futurist Jim Carroll Nothing great was ever achieved through conformity. No truly great idea…
Daily Inspiration: "Make every single day a small win!"
"Make every single day a small win!" - Futurist Jim Carroll (49 for the win!) It's easy to be impatient, particularly when you have big…
Daily Inspiration: "The gaming generatIon has suddenly met with an ongoing need for distance education......"
“The gaming generatIon has suddenly met with an ongoing need for distance education. Wouldn’t it make sense to add some gamification to make it a little…
Daily Inspiration : “You will always have the opportunity to turn the worst day of your life into the rest of your life!”
“You will always have the opportunity to turn the worst day of your life into the rest of your life!” - Futurist Jim Carroll "We…
Daily Inspiration: Innovation and Culture - "Give yourself permission to try new things!
"Give yourself permission to try new things!" - Futurist Jim Carroll My wife and I attended the Celebration of Life for the father of one…
Daily Inspiration: “A futurist? My job is to help you build your future — inside my mind!”
“A futurist? My job is to help you build your future — inside my mind!” - Futurist Jim Carroll I'm sometimes told that I'm not…
Daily Inspiration: "Don't waste a lot of time wishing for what you once had - work smarter to achieve what you might have next!"
"Don't waste a lot of time wishing for what you once had - work smarter to achieve what you might have next!" - Futurist Jim…
Daily Inspiration: Leadership & Innovation - "Disruptors value defiance over blind obedience!"
"Disruptors value defiance over blind obedience!" - Futurist Jim Carroll Be like Chuck House. In a world in which you are surrounded by yes-men, be…
Daily Inspiration: "Need to be more innovative? Spend more time with people who are different than you!"
Daily Inspiration: “Expect miracles - once you decide to stop being your own worst enemy!”
“Expect miracles - once you decide to stop being your own worst enemy!” - Futurist Jim Carroll Are you the author of your own misfortune?…
Daily Inspiration: "If you have an idea and I have an idea, we have two ideas. If we share those ideas, we have a movement!"
Daily Inspiration: "You don’t know what you don't know until someone tells you something you don't know. That's why there are futurists!"
Daily Inspiration: "Age is just a number. It's just packaging for your wisdom, a container for your experience!"
"Age is just a number. It's just packaging for your wisdom, a container for your experience!" - Futurist Jim Carroll Here's a nice song! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUDRIC5RSX4…
Daily Inspiration: "Determination is sometimes the destination as well as the mode of transportation!"
Daily Inspiration: "Strength always comes back the moment you begin to show up again."
"Strength always comes back the moment you begin to show up again." - Futurist Jim Carroll Today is a big day as I FINALLY head…
Daily Inspiration: Leadership - "Stop waiting for the right time - because you'll eventually run out of time!"
"Stop waiting for the right time - because you'll eventually run out of time!" - Futurist Jim Carroll There's a cost to indecision. There is…
Decoding Tomorrow: The Way Forward: #1 Manufacturing - "The most valuable part of a modern manufacturing operation is the part you can't see: the algorithms that optimize flow, the data that predicts failure, and the agility that makes the entire process intelligent."
"The most valuable part of a modern manufacturing operation is the part you can't see: the algorithms that optimize flow, the data that predicts failure,…
Daily Inspiration: The Economy and Innovation - "Markets are not trends!"
"Markets are not trends!" - Futurist Jim Carroll Some wild headlines yesterday: In that context, I shared this image with one of my sons yesterday;…
Daily Inspiration: "You certainly won't make it 'great again' unless you put in the hard work!"
"You certainly won't make it 'great again' unless you put in the hard work!" - Futurist Jim Carroll My audiences began to change over the…
Daily Inspiration: "To supercharge your creativity, fire up your internal rebelalyzer!”
"To supercharge your creativity, fire up your internal rebelalyzer!” - Futurist Jim Carroll If it’s not a word, it should be! And if you are…
Daily Inspiration: “To change your world, you must first try to change yourself!”
“To change your world, you must first try to change yourself!” - Futurist Jim Carroll Nothing great was ever achieved with the status quo -…
Daily Inspiration: Innovation and Initiative - "A failure while trying is better than failing to try!"
"A failure while trying is better than failing to try!" - Futurist Jim Carroll Nothing great was ever achieved by those who wimped out! In…
Decoding Tomorrow: Daily Inspiration - "A little more gratitude and a lot less grievance goes a long way!"
"A little more gratitude and a lot less grievance go a long way!" - Futurist Jim Carroll I've spent 30 years advising companies to speed…
Daily Inspiration - "Denial costs more than disruption ever will"
"Denial costs more than disruption ever will" - Futurist Jim Carroll Are we witnessing the end phase of the auto industry's lost battle and the…
Daily Inspiration: “When the measure by which you judge your success has changed, find yourself a different ruler!”
“When the measure by which you judge your success has changed, find yourself a different ruler!” - Futurist Jim Carroll When you walk off stage…
Daily Inspiration: "Innovators don't focus on the time that has elapsed, they anticipate the time that is yet to come!"
"Innovators don't focus on the time that has elapsed, they anticipate the time that is yet to come!" - Futurist Jim Carroll Spend less time…
Daily Inspiration: "It is often said that you should surround yourself with smart people. You should also surround yourself with those who are forward thinking, optimistic, and who have a vision of a future...."
Daily Inspiration: "In a world of big change, we are surrounded by some very small minds!"
"In a world of big change, we are surrounded by some very small minds!" - Futurist Jim Carroll There are still some people fighting the…
Daily Inspiration: "If you are letting all this recession talk defer your plans for growth, you're doing it all wrong!"
"If you are letting all this recession talk defer your plans for growth, you're doing it all wrong!" - Futurist Jim Carroll History has taught…
Daily Inspiration: "Accelerate your acceleration!"
"Accelerate your acceleration!" - Futurist Jim Carroll Are you thinking fast enough? I know I tend to focus way too much on the issue of…
Daily Inspiration: "Make moments that matter, matter more!"
"Make moments that matter, matter more!" - Futurist Jim Carroll Avoid going on autopilot. Beware the dangers of complacency. Don't just show up. It's easy…
Daily Inspiration: “Cumulative small steps combined together - that’s the secret to to reinvention!”
“Cumulative small steps combined together - that’s the secret to to reinvention!” - Futurist Jim Carroll As Neil Armstrong suggested, every big leap involves a…
Daily Inspiration: “I bet you never thought you would find your future in manure!”
“I bet you never thought you would find your future in manure!” - Futurist Jim Carroll I filmed a virtual keynote yesterday on the future…
Daily Inspiration: "You should know better than to believe the sly fox who will con you. The future does not suffer fools gladly!"
Daily Inspiration: “Reinvent your reality!”
“Reinvent your reality!” - Futurist Jim Carroll Later today, I will interview Santa Claus on how he reinvented his reality for the era of Covid-19.…
Daily Inspiration: Trends & volatility - "Contradictory uncertainty is your new normal!"
"Contradictory uncertainty is your new normal!" - Futurist Jim Carroll It's a balancing act - trying to figure out tomorrow! After all, to study the…
Daily Inspiration: “When faced with business model disruption, move from defence to offense. Don’t react, act!”
Daily Inspiration: "You can view the future with a negative filter and be terrified by the change it represents. Or, you can examine it through another lens......"
Daily Inspiration: Policing & AI - "It's the unknown crime that we can't yet imagine that we should be worried about!"
"It's the unknown crime that we can't yet imagine that we should be worried about!" - Futurist Jim Carroll Later today, I'll be doing a…
Decoding Tomorrow: Daily Inspiration - "Every brilliant idiot eventually flies too close to their own sun."
"Every brilliant idiot eventually flies too close to their own sun." - Futurist Jim Carroll In its most recent earnings call, Tesla essentially announced that…
Decoding Tomorrow: Daily Inspiration – Mastering 2026 - "The greatest barrier to exponential growth is linear thinking."
"The greatest barrier to exponential growth is linear thinking." - Futurist Jim Carroll It's that time! Starting this Thursday, I'll be launching my annual end-of-year…
Daily Inspiration: "Successful leaders lift people up ... rather than bringing them down!"
"Successful leaders lift people up ... rather than bringing them down!" - Futurist Jim Carroll Leaders set the tone. We all know that - but…
Daily Inspiration: Innovation - "At one time or another everyone thinks of a great idea that they will never pursue!"
"At one time or another everyone thinks of a great idea that they will never pursue!" - Futurist Jim Carroll Why are great ideas so…
Daily Inspiration: Personal initiative - "Anything can be accomplished with courage!"
"Anything can be accomplished with courage!" - Futurist Jim Carroll I drew a blank this morning. Most days, I pull together the next day's quote…
Daily Inspiration: Agriculture and Technology - "The fact that we have 'fitbits for cows' should inspire you to think bigger about your future!"
"The fact that we have 'fitbits for cows' should inspire you to think bigger about your future!" - Futurist Jim Carroll We live in the…
Daily Inspiration: Customer & Client Events - "Every great story deserves a great storyteller!"
"Every great story deserves a great storyteller!" - Futurist Jim Carroll The manufacturing company Ammega - in the business of manufacturing machinery for the packaged…
Daily Inspiration: “The greatest risks you face are found with the undefined....."
“The greatest risks you face are found with the undefined - the trends that have not yet occurred, the science not yet discovered, inventions not…
Decoding Tomorrow: The Infinite Pivot Series - #10 "Never forget that adaptability outranks experience."
"Never forget that adaptability outranks experience." - Futurist Jim Carroll Futurist Jim Carroll is writing a series, The Art of the Infinite Pivot, based on 36…
Daily Inspiration: Leadership and Growth - "Real leaders don't try to cost cut their way into the future! (They reinvent!)"
"Real leaders don't try to cost cut their way into the future! (They reinvent!)" - Futurist Jim Carroll Really? Are we going to do this…
Daily Inspiration: “Take a look around - you didn't move fast enough. The future - not your past - has now caught up to you!”
“Take a look around - you didn't move fast enough. The future - not your past - has now caught up to you!” - Futurist…
Daily Inspiration: “The real impact of covid on business? .... We’ve learned to operate at speed, and there is no going back!”
“The real impact of covid on business? We've compressed 10 years of change into but 6 months! We’ve learned to operate at speed, and there…
Daily Inspiration: "Success: cumulative small steps tied together - then suddenly, a seismic shift!"
"Success: cumulative small steps tied together - then suddenly, a seismic shift!" - Futurist Jim Carroll Part 4 of my short 6-part series revisiting my…
Daily Inspiration: “Vigilance: never depend on today’s success for tomorrow’s journey!”
“Vigilance: never depend on today’s success for tomorrow’s journey!” - Futurist Jim Carroll Standing still? Not an option - you don't know what curveballs life…
Daily Inspiration: "A strategy based upon just the technology is not a strategy. It's a distraction!"
"A strategy based upon just the technology is not a strategy. It's a distraction!" - Futurist Jim Carroll There is an imbalance in the technology/strategy…
Daily Inspiration: “Every great future was once but a small, barely discernible opportunity!”
“Every great future was once but a small, barely discernible opportunity!” - Futurist Jim Carroll People want to be hopeful about the future - it's…
Daily Inspiration: “Your best ideas will always face the most intense opposition!"
“Your best ideas will always face the most intense opposition!" - Futurist Jim Carroll That’s why they are your best ideas! So what can you…
Daily Inspiration: “Don't just follow the trends - set them!”
“Don't just follow the trends - set them!” - Futurist Jim Carroll If I had one throwaway answer that I used on stage when asked…
Daily Inspiration: "The future is right over there. What decision will you make today to make sure that when you get there, you will maximize the opportunity that it presents?"
Decoding Tomorrow: Your Daily Future Inspiration - "In an uncertain economy, resilience isn't built alone. It’s built together."
"In an uncertain economy, resilience isn't built alone. It’s built together." - Futurist Jim Carroll This is post #17 of what will be a 20-post…
Daily Inspiration: "Why would you assume that the products you sell today will still exist, your business model will be intact or that your competitors of today will be the same ones tomorrow?"
Daily Inspiration: “The only way to create yourself a better future is by actually going there!”
“The only way to create yourself a better future is by actually going there!” - Futurist Jim Carroll The status quo is not an option,…
Daily Inspiration: "You can fail yet still be successful. But the truth is, you can't be successful if you haven't had some failure!"
Daily Inspiration: "Don't let the future freak you out. Freak out if you can't align to the speed with which it's occurring!"
"Don't let the future freak you out. Freak out if you can't align to the speed with which it's occurring!" - Futurist Jim Carroll That…
Daily Inspiration: "Things from the olden days: 35mm film. CDs. DVDS. Auto dealerships . Your business model!"
"Things from the olden days: 35mm film. CDs. DVDS. Auto dealerships. Your business model!" - Futurist Jim Carroll If you've been following me long enough…
Daily Inspiration: "Fail once, and you've got a failure. Fail twice, and you have lessons learned. Fail 3 times, and you've developed critical innovation insight!"
Daily Inspiration: “Your opportunity to design yourself a better future? Challenge your assumptions!”
“Your opportunity to design yourself a better future? Challenge your assumptions!” - Futurist Jim Carroll Your blind belief in your certainty about how the world…
Daily Inspiration: "The only way to successfully print a two-sided card is to completely abandon the idea altogether!"
“The only way to successfully print a two-sided card is to completely abandon the idea altogether!” - Futurist Jim Carroll I have never met anyone…
Daily Inspiration: “Define your day, not by the barriers that may exist, but by the great things you will accomplish if you set your mind to it!”
Daily Inspiration: “Do what you love. Do it well. The rest will sort itself out!”
“Do what you love. Do it well. The rest will sort itself out!” - Futurist Jim Carroll A shoutout to my good friend Joe for…
Daily Inspiration: “Even when you have nothing, you really have the opportunity for everything!”
“Even when you have nothing, you really have the opportunity for everything!” - Futurist Jim Carroll A live clip from early Saturday morning, in the…
First published on jimcarroll.com in 2019. This page keeps the original words, images, links and videos, recovered from the WordPress page on November 8, 2026.