The Present Futurist: Living the Now, Creating What’s Next
I remember once receiving feedback early in my career that left me a little puzzled. “You need to be able to both focus on the details in front of you and also zoom out to 50,000 feet to see the big picture.” I understood what they meant intellectually, but emotionally, it felt like I had to split myself in two. Be grounded and visionary. Immediate and expansive. How could I possibly be both?
Years later, after walking the path of leadership, healing, innovation, and inner transformation, I’ve come to understand something that feels deeply true: I wasn’t meant to choose between these perspectives. I was meant to integrate them. I call this being a Present Futurist.
What is a Present Futurist?
A Present Futurist is someone who can anchor in the moment with full awareness—attuned to what’s real, complex, and alive right now—while holding a vision for a future that serves our shared humanity. It’s not about escape or idealism. It’s about embodied vision: staying in the body, in the heart, in the room, while dreaming forward.
Don’t bypass the now. Bring reverence to it.
Don’t push for the future. Become it.
Photo by Shawnalee Studios in Portland OR
