Better Questions, Better Results

What Will the World Look Like in 5 Years? A Systems Analysis of Converging Discontinuities The Premise: We’re Measuring the Wrong Variables Most future analysis fails because it extrapolates from visible trends rather than examining the invisible structures that generate those trends. The next five years won’t be defined by AI getting smarter or climate getting worse—they’ll be defined by the breakdown of the measurement systems we use to understand reality itself. The Core Insight : We’re approaching a phase transition where our existing categories of analysis (economic, technological, political, social) become insufficient to describe what’s actually happening. I. The Measurement Crisis Why Our Metrics Are Breaking Down By 2030, the fundamental disconnect between what we measure and what matters reaches a breaking point. GDP, unemployment rates, and carbon emissions are industrial-age metrics trying to quantify post-industrial realities. The Hidden Pattern : Every major societal shif...

What patterns are you spotting today that others will call obvious in five years? Hindsight is 20/20, but foresight sets you apart In a world that’s evolving faster than ever, recognizing emerging patterns is more than a superpower—it’s a strategic advantage. Today’s quiet anomalies are tomorrow’s industry standards, yet few people have the lens to see them clearly in real time. This article explores how to spot these patterns early and what makes them become “obvious” in retrospect. Whether you work in tech, education, health, or media, the ability to forecast trends is becoming an invaluable skill. Why “Obvious in Retrospect” Is a Pattern in Itself Think about smartphones, remote work, or streaming platforms. All were niche or questioned when they started but are ubiquitous today. The underlying pattern? Ideas that solve a clear problem but challenge the status quo. To identify these, ask: What are people complaining about repeatedly? What workarounds are gaining traction? Where is t...

What Skills Will Become Obsolete in the Next 5 Years? May 8, 2025 | Artificial Intelligence, Change, Continuous Improvement, Forecasting, Future, Question a Day, Role-Playing Question a Day   The Skills Time is Leaving Behind: How to Adapt and Stay Relevant in the AI Era AI and automation are making some jobs obsolete fast. Discover which skills are fading by 2029—and what to learn now to future-proof your career. Technology is evolving faster than ever, and once-valuable skills are quietly slipping into history. With AI, automation, and shifting job trends, some career staples are vanishing—and failing to adapt could leave you sidelined. A 2024 LinkedIn report found that  44% of workers’ core skills will change within five years , and McKinsey predicts  AI could automate tasks across 60-70% of jobs by 2030 . Clearly, upskilling isn’t optional—it’s essential. So, which skills are on the chopping block? Here’s a data-driven look at what’s going obsolete by 2029—and where s...

What is the End of History Illusion? February 5, 2025 | Aging, Bias, Decision Making, Future, Opportunity, Question a Day, Relationships Question a Day Why We Underestimate How Much We Will Change in the Future  The  End of History Illusion  is a cognitive bias that leads people to believe they’ve undergone significant personal change in the past but will experience little to no change in the future. In other words, you recognize how much you’ve evolved as a person over time but assume that who you are now is essentially the "final version" of yourself. However, psychological research shows this belief is far from reality. Coined by researchers Jordi Quoidbach, Daniel Gilbert, and Timothy Wilson in a 2013 study published in  Science , this illusion reveals a fundamental blind spot in how we perceive ourselves. The truth is, personal growth, shifts in preferences, and changes in personality continue throughout our lives, even if we fail to predict them. The Science Be...