The future of the future

For the 150th episode of my award-winning podcast series, FUTURE OF XYZ, I sat down with Nick Foster, former head of design at Google X and leading futures designer. We quickly found common ground in our strong belief that society doesn’t think about the future in the right way. ​​Too often, the future is reduced to flashy visions, both in media headlines and through messages from leading corporations. The future feels like a sci-fi movie that still seems far away. Nick and I both believe the future isn’t some distant fantasy, but rather a tomorrow already unfolding before us. To prepare, we must pay closer attention to what we know now and how people are acting today. What drives Nick and his work isn’t predictions or bets, but a deeper exploration of how we think about the future itself. 

That distinction resonated deeply with me. In my own work—whether the podcast, as a leader at iF Design, or in my consulting work, I’ve argued that the future isn’t something just “out there” to predict. Rather, the future is something we actively construct through our choices and the questions we dare to ask. 

IMAGINE THE FUTURE 

Nick’s new book, Could Should Might Don’t: How We Think About the Future, emerged from years of conversations inside Google X and beyond, where he noticed a surprising truth: Even among the world’s leading innovators, we often fail to approach the future with real rigor. We rely on hunches, dotted lines, and simplified stories. This lack of discipline not only weakens the conversation, but leaves us ill-equipped for what’s actually to come. 

Rather than writing a manifesto or prescriptive framework, Nick created a taxonomy—a way to classify the different modes of imagining the future. By delving into how we think about the future, he hopes our collective conversations become more rounded, more actionable, and more honest about uncertainty.  

During our conversation, we touched on the “future mundane,” the idea that most lived experiences will be found not in extremes, but in the everyday middle of the bell curve. This lens particularly aligns with my own mission at iF Design. Design, after all, is the mediator between big ideas and daily life. From the products we use, to the systems that govern them, to the values they embed, design shapes how we experience change. My role at iF Design is precisely about interrogating this: How do we embed sustainability and impact into design decisions so that what feels “ordinary” tomorrow reflects responsibility and resilience, not just convenience or speed? 

Nick also reflects on a profound cultural shift we are experiencing. For the first time in modern history, entire generations are less confident about what the future will bring. Having pushed exponential economic growth to its limits, we’re beginning to wrestle with the “well, and now what?” question that undercuts strident narratives of progress. In my own conversations, I’ve seen how this moment of reckoning demands we focus on intentionality, pivoting from chasing growth alone to cultivating resilience. 

WHAT’S NEXT 

In Nick’s view, technology currently holds the wheel when it comes to shaping what’s next. With that power comes responsibility—a responsibility corporations and societies alike have yet to fully embrace. I often remind audiences that while technology will remain a critical driver, it’s our values, our courage, and our willingness to collaborate that will ultimately determine the future(s) we design into being. 

And as Nick reminded me, in a time of unprecedented change, we must resist the urge to cling blindly to what we already believe. Instead, we need to ask deeper questions, demand more rigorous thinking, and recognize that imagining the future is not just for futurists. It’s a collective skill we all must learn—and practice together. 

That’s precisely why this conversation mattered to me. Every day I explore how leadership, design, and purpose intersect to shape a more human, more sustainable future. Nick’s work underscores that same truth: The future isn’t something happening to us. It’s something we are all responsible for shaping. And that begins with how we choose to think, design, and act today. 

Lisa Gralnek is global head of sustainability and impact for iF Design, managing director of iF Design USA Inc., and creator/host of the podcast, FUTURE OF XYZ. 

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