The Future — Podcast

The Power of Rituals with Dr. Michael Norton

Our lives are filled with repetitive tasks meant to keep us on track—what we come to know as habits. Over time, these routines (for example, brushing your teeth or putting on your right sock first) tend to be performed automatically. But when we’re more mindful about these actions—when we focus on the precise way they are performed—they can instead become rituals. Shifting from a “habitual” mindset to a “ritual” mindset can convert ordinary acts from black and white to technicolor.

In this interview, Harvard Business School Professor Dr. Michael Norton discusses his new book “The Ritual Effect” and how the power of establishing rituals can enhance performance in personal lives and at work. Dr. Norton explains how a ritual is different from and a habit. He talks about how to create rituals that last and he says a bottom up approach is the best way to establish effective rituals in the workplace. To finish the interview, Dr. Norton’s discusses what research has taught him about what people commonly get wrong about their money.

Dr. Michael Norton is a leading behavior scientist, behavioral economics researcher, Harvard Business School Professor, and business speaker obsessed with unlocking the secrets of human behavior and well-being, from happier spending to the power of rituals. Dr. Norton’s research focuses on behavioral economics and well-being, with particular attention given to topics such as happiness, spending, and, most recently, rituals and habits. His book The Ritual Effect focuses on the surprising and versatile power of rituals.

The Growing Popularity of Psychedelics with Dr. Matthew Johnson

Since Dr. Matthew Johnson first appeared on 12 Geniuses in September of 2020 to discuss The Future of Psychedelics, popular opinion in favor of this category of drugs has surged and so has the research and potential uses for psilocybin, MDMA, LSD, ayahuasca, and other drugs that fit into the broader category of psychedelics. Dr. Johnson and his research have been critical to fueling these growing trends.

In this interview, Dr. Johnson discusses the advancements in psychedelic research that have been made in the last few years, how favorable public opinion about the use of these once taboo drugs continues to grow, and he closes the conversation with his sobering advice for people who are experimenting on their own with these drugs, going on weekend psychedelic retreats, or even going to South America to have ayahuasca experiences with a shaman.

Dr. Matthew Johnson is Senior Investigator in Psychedelics at Sheppard Pratt and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins University where he is one of the world’s most published scientists on the human effects of psychedelics. He had conducted seminal research in the behavioral economics of drug use, addiction, and risk behavior. Dr. Johnson published psychedelic safety guidelines in 2008, helping to resurrect psychedelic research.

Living Healthy Longer with Dr. Steven Austad

Throughout his career, Dr. Steven Austad has been exploring aging, longevity, and life extension in a variety of animals. He has written multiple books, including “Why We Age: What Science Is Discovering about the Body’s Journey Through Life” and “Methuselah's Zoo: What Nature Can Teach Us about Living Longer, Healthier Lives.”

In this interview, Dr. Austad discusses the topic of longevity and the progress being made toward curing some of humanity’s most devastating diseases - specifically heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s. He shares his belief that humanity is on track to make cancer a managed disease. Dr. Austad talks about new drug discoveries made in the last four years that should dramatically improve our ability to fight our most devastating diseases and he even talks about the surprising benefits being realized from the use of popular weight loss drugs. He goes on to address how science has effectively extended life over the last 125 years, but many people who are going to live much longer haven’t changed their attitudes and expectations about their retirement age.

Dr. Austad has dedicated his career to understanding the science of how and why we age. He is a distinguished professor and Protective Life Endowed Chair in Healthy Aging Research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He has done field research in The United States, Venezuela, East Africa, Micronesia, and Papua New Guinea. Dr. Austad’s books include “Why We Age: What Science Is Discovering about the Body's Journey Through Life” and “Methuselah's Zoo: What Nature Can Teach Us about Living Longer, Healthier Lives.”

Peak Oil, Peak Auto, and Peak People with Futurist David Houle

“Peak Oil” is the point that global oil production is set to begin its decline. “Peak Auto” is the point that global automotive production will begin its decline. “Peak People” is the point that global population will being to shrink. All of these points are set to happen during this century according to futurist and author David Houle.

In this interview, David Houle discusses how oil use, the number of vehicles around the world, and the number of people on the planet will all begin to decline in this century. To replace oil production, David shares how electric vehicles will become the norm supported by renewable energy along with innovative battery storage capabilities. To facilitate the trend toward vehicle decline, David says the idea of owning a vehicle that people drive 5% of the time is outdated. Fleets of driverless cars are a much more practical solution even as more countries experience affluence. China recently began a decline in population in 2023 and the rest of the world will experience the same as the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) declines in industrialized countries. David says that as girls around the world continue to advance in educational opportunities, the global TFR will decline below the 2.1 TFR required to maintain the number of people on the planet.

To finish the interview, David also talks about what these declines mean to the global economy and how people should be using this information to plan for their futures.

David Houle is a futurist, thinker, and keynote speaker. He is the author of “The Shift Age,” “Shift Ed: A Call to Action for Transforming K-12 Education,” “Entering the Shift Age, Brand Shift: The Future of Brands and Marketing,” “The Spaceship Earth,” and more.

Life in 2073: Aging and Space Exploration with Don MacPherson

For the Summer of 2023, a dozen futurists talk about what life will be like for humans in 30 to 50 years. Each guest is asked to paint a picture of the changes that we will experience between now and 2053 or 2073. Then they are asked what mistakes we are making today that the people of 2073 will look back at in disbelief. The goal of these episodes is to spark the imagination of listeners about the future we have the ability to create.

In this episode, our usual host of the show, Don MacPherson, is interviewed by futurist Rebecca Ryan. Don paints a picture of what life might be like in 2073 with a focus on aging and the development of space tourism and a space economy. He talks about how new technologies and a move to treat aging as a disease could radically change the way we age and enable life expectancy to 90 or even 100 years with outliers reaching 120 years and beyond. Don compares the current stage of space exploration and development to the early years of flight and shares his belief that humanity’s desire to explore will push us to colonize Mars and visit other planets as our capabilities improve. Don and Rebecca finish the interview with a discussion about what the humans of 2073 will be surprised that we were doing in 2023.

Don MacPherson is CEO of 12 Geniuses and host of the 12 Geniuses podcast - a show for curious and voracious learners. Don interviews exceptional people about trends and technologies changing the way we live and work. A five-time entrepreneur, Don has spent 25 years studying the employee experience, the attributes of great leadership, and how healthy organizational cultures are created and sustained. An avid traveler and volunteer, Don has visited 75 countries and been a mentor of young people for 30 years.

The 2053 Workplace with Futurist Jacob Morgan

For the Summer of 2023, a dozen futurists talk about what life will be like for humans in 30 to 50 years. Each guest is asked to paint a picture of the changes that we will experience between now and 2053 or 2073. Then they are asked what mistakes we are making today that the people of 2073 will look back at in disbelief. The goal of these episodes is to spark the imagination of listeners about the future we have the ability to create.

In this episode, futurist Jacob Morgan paints a picture of life in 2053 with a focus on where technology meets the workplace. He describes a world where everyone has advanced AI personal assistants, mountains of data to help them optimize performance at work and at home, and how the metaverse might develop over the next three decades. Jacob also shares his thoughts on the future of leadership and his predictions on what workplace technologies will soon become obsolete.

Jacob Morgan is a trained futurist and one of the world’s leading authorities on leadership, the future of work, and employee experience, He speaks in front of tens of thousands of people each year and his content is seen over a million times a year. Jacob is the best-selling author of five books: Leading With Vulnerability (Wiley 2024), The Future Leader (Wiley 2020) The Employee Experience Advantage (Wiley, 2017), The Future of Work (Wiley, 2014), and The Collaborative Organization (McGraw Hill, 2012). He speaks at over 50 conferences a year including TED Academy which is one of the largest TED events in the world. In addition, Jacob provides advisory and thought leadership services to various organizations around the world.

A Life of Abundance in 2073 with Sohail Inayatullah

For the Summer of 2023, a dozen futurists talk about what life will be like for humans in 30 to 50 years. Each guest is asked to paint a picture of the changes that we will experience between now and 2053 or 2073. Then they are asked what mistakes we are making today that the people of 2073 will look back at in disbelief. The goal of these episodes is to spark the imagination of listeners about the future we have the ability to create.

In this episode, futurist Sohail Inayatullah paints a picture of life in 2073. He describes a peer-to-peer economy moving at lightning speeds that will lead to incredible abundance. He talks about nation states giving way to bio-regions and cultural regions. He shares examples of how leaders in Abu Dhabi and New Zealand are thinking about and designing their futures. Sohail finishes the conversation with his thoughts on what we are doing today that the humans of 2073 will look back at in disbelief.

Dr. Sohail Inayatullah, a political scientist, is Professor at Tamkang University, Taipei (Graduate Institute of Futures Studies), Visiting Academic/Research Associate at Queensland University of Technology (Centre for Social Change Research); Adjunct Professor at the University of the Sunshine Coast (Faculty of Social Sciences and the Arts); and, Associate, Transcend Peace University. Dr. Inayatullah is a Fellow of the World Futures Studies Federation and the World Academy of Art and Science. He is on the International Advisory Council of the World Future Society, and on the Professional Board of the Futures Foundation, Sydney. In 1999, he held the UNESCO Chair at the Centre for European Studies, University of Trier, Trier, Germany and the Tamkang Chair in Futures Studies at Tamkang University, Taipei, Taiwan. From 1981 to 1991, he was senior policy analyst and planner with the Hawaii Judiciary, where he coordinated the Court’s Foresight Program.

“What could it look like? Imagine, then, the nation state giving way. It was created in the 15th, 16th century. It gives way to bio-regions, to cultural regions, to basically an EU in Asia, six big regions united.” Dr. Sohail Inayatullah describing how government might evolve from the nation state in the next 50 to 100 years.

Life in 2053: The Dirty Little Secret of the Future with Brian David Johnson

For the Summer of 2023, a dozen futurists talk about what life will be like for humans in 30 to 50 years. Each guest is asked to paint a picture of the changes that we will experience between now and 2053 or 2073. Then they are asked what mistakes we are making today that the people of 2073 will look back at in disbelief. The goal of these episodes is to spark the imagination of listeners about the future we have the ability to create.

In this episode, futurist Brian David Johnson (aka BDJ) paints a picture of life in 2053 with an emphasis on what he calls “the dirty little secret of the future” and that is that life then will look a lot like it does today, but with far more advanced technology. He also talks about how each of us would benefit from having a teenager as a mentor, why being fearful of novel technology is natural, and how we can overcome that fear. BDJ wraps up the interview by talking about how some of the things we are doing today – like the way we interact with our devices and living in homes that are not filled with smart devices - will be looked at in 50 years with a sense of disbelief.

Brian David Johnson was Intel Corporation’s first-ever futurist. Currently, he is a professor at Arizona State University's Global Futures Laboratory and the School for the Future of Innovation in Society. BDJ also works in a private practice with a broad range of groups, including governments, militaries, corporations, nonprofits and start-ups, to help them envision their future. BDJ holds over 40 patents and is the best-selling author of both science fiction and fact books: A Threatcasting Textbook, The Future You, WaR: Wizards and Robots, and 21st Century Robot.

“If you are fearful, let’s talk about it. Let’s get out there and say ‘well, what is the future you want? What is the future you want to avoid’ and start having those conversations, because you get to pick. You have that agency. And in that fear, that helps to push it away. It’s to see the opportunity, but at the same time there are some dark things there. That’s OK. Let’s talk about it now. Let’s not just be afraid and give up our agency for the future.” Brian David Johnson talking about how he helps people overcome their fear of technology and the changes technological advancement brings.

Life in 2053: AI, Moore’s Law, and Crypto with Futurist Kevin Kelly

For the Summer of 2023, a dozen futurists talk about what life will be like for humans in 30 to 50 years. Each guest is asked to paint a picture of the changes that we will experience between now and 2053 or 2073. Then they are asked what mistakes we are making today that the people of 2073 will look back at in disbelief. The goal of these episodes is to spark the imagination of listeners about the future we have the ability to create.

In this episode, futurist Kevin Kelly paints a picture of what life might look like in 2053. He discusses the implications to the world if Moore’s Law slows down, how AI will become a fundamental utility to how we work and live similar to how transformative electricity has been for humans, and what would happen if “crypto wins” and the internet, finance, and other elements of our economy become decentralized. Kevin believes generative AI tools like Chat GPT will function as “interns” that each of us will get to train and use as tools to help with work and manage our lives. Kevin wraps up the interview by talking about how some of our current behaviors – like eating the flesh of animals, having parents choose the names of their children at birth, and our ideas around intelligence and how the brain works - will be looked at in 50 years with a sense of disbelief.

Kevin Kelly is Senior Maverick at Wired magazine. He co-founded Wired in 1993, and served as its Executive Editor for its first seven years. His newest book is Excellent Advice for Living, a book of 450 modern proverbs for good living. He is co-chair of The Long Now Foundation, a membership organization that champions long-term thinking and acting as a good ancestor to future generations. And he is founder of the popular Cool Tools website, which has been reviewing tools daily for 20 years. From 1984-1990 Kevin was publisher and editor of the Whole Earth Review, a subscriber-supported journal of unorthodox conceptual news. He co-founded the ongoing Hackers’ Conference, and was involved with the launch of the WELL, a pioneering online service started in 1985. Other books by Kevin include 1) The Inevitable, a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller, 2) Out of Control, his 1994 classic book on decentralized emergent systems, 3) The Silver Cord, a graphic novel about robots and angels, 4) What Technology Wants, a robust theory of technology, and 5) Vanishing Asia, his 50-year project to photograph the disappearing cultures of Asia. He is best known for his radical optimism about the future.

“We took taxis and added AI to it and that’s Uber and so we are now in this business of realizing that we can add it to almost anything that is already electrified or already powered. The next 10,000 startups are take X add AI. It’s a parallel of the electrification of the world where now we are going to do the cognification of the world.” Kevin Kelly in “Life in 2053: AI, Moore’s Law, and Crypto with Futurist Kevin Kelly” talking about how AI will be used as a disruptive force to the way humans live.

The Good Future: Life in 2053 with Gerd Leonhard

For the Summer of 2023, a dozen futurists talk about what life will be like for humans in 30 to 50 years. Each guest is asked to paint a picture of the changes that we will experience between now and 2053 or 2073. Then they are asked what mistakes we are making today that the people of 2073 will look back at in disbelief. The goal of these episodes is to spark the imagination of listeners about the future we have the ability to create.

In this episode, Gerd Leonhard paints a picture life in 2053 with a focus on how humans have the power to create lives enhanced by food, water, and energy abundance. He calls this “The Good Future.” He reminds us that the future is not about what is possible…it is about what we want. Among the topics Gerd discusses are uploading our brains to the internet, quantum computing, nuclear fusion, climate change and the technologies that will be created to manage it, and how movements will drive politicians to make the changes necessary to enable this good future to happen. Gerd finishes the interview with a discussion about what humans are doing today, including our use of fossil fuels, the way work is currently structured, and the importance of nation states, that the people of 2073 will look back at in disbelief.

Based in Zurich, Switzerland, Gerd is one of the world’s leading futurists and the author of Technology vs Humanity: The Coming Clash Between Man and Machine. With the motto “People, Planet, Purpose, and Prosperity,” Gerd is an outspoken critic of unregulated exponential technologies. He uses his influence and platform to help people “imagine and create a better tomorrow” and was named one of Wired UK’s 100 Most Influential Europeans in 2015.

Fluid Leadership with Dessa

Musician and writer Dessa has made a career of bucking genres and defying expectations—her résumé as a musician includes performances at Lollapalooza and Glastonbury, co-compositions for 100-voice choir, performances with the Minnesota Orchestra, and top-200 entries on the Billboard charts. She contributed to the #1 album The Hamilton Mixtape and the RBG documentary. As a writer, she’s been published by The New York Times and National Geographic Traveler, broadcast by Minnesota Public Radio, and published a memoir-in-essays (My Own Devices, 2018) in addition to two literary collections. She’s also the host of Deeply Human, a podcast created by the BBC and American Public Media.

In this interview, Dessa talks about how she leads in her roles as a musician, podcast host, and writer. She says there is a fluidity in her leadership. She knows when to lead and when to get out of the way so the experts in the room can do their jobs. One of the keys to her success in getting the best performance out of others is understanding where people want to go in their careers and how she can help them get there. Dessa also talks about her collaboration with the Minnesota Orchestra and how she needed to understand the orchestra’s culture and language in order to maximize the talents of all the musicians involved in the joint performance.

Investing in Leadership with Bret Griess

Bret Griess is Executive Partner at the private equity firm Siris Capital. Prior to joining Siris, Bret spent 25 years with CSG Systems International where he rose through the ranks to become President and Chief Executive Officer. He oversaw the development of CSG’s first comprehensive cybersecurity program, introduced the industry’s first public, cloud-based business support solution, and led the company through its largest acquisition and contracts, valued at more than $2 billion. Bret is currently a member of the Board of Directors at Nebraska Methodist Health System, Midland University, and Equiniti.

In this interview, Bret talks about his rise from an entry-level position to the C-Suite of a publicly traded company, the importance of mentorship to his development, his approach to investing in learning and development for himself and the people he led, how he worked with his Board of Directors while he was CEO, and what roles he plays as a member of a Board of Directors. Bret also shares advice for young people who aspire to lead a company, how private equity companies think about the importance of leadership when making investments, and what he would like his legacy to be.

Leadership Lessons with U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Ronald Piret

Rear Admiral Ronald Piret leads the 2,600 people who comprise the U.S. Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command. He is also the Oceanographer of the Navy, Navigator of the Navy, and Hydrographer of the Navy. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Oceanography. He holds master’s degrees in oceanography and meteorology from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., and national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College (NWC) in Newport, R.I., where he graduated with distinction. See full bio here.

In this interview, Rear Adm. Piret discusses his background and why he chose a career in the Navy, the importance of mentorship to his career development, the mission of the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command, the advantages of leading a blend of civilian and uniformed personnel, and the vast amounts of information captured and processed on a daily basis by the Command. He also talks about building trust, recruiting highly technical people, dealing with failure, the importance of diversity, how recognition is a key driver of engagement, how great leaders resist the urge to use their rank to get things done, and advice he has for young people who want a role in leadership.

The Power of Purpose with Zach Mercurio

Zach Mercurio, Ph.D. is an author, researcher, speaker, and consultant specializing in purposeful leadership, meaningful work, and positive organizational psychology. He wrote “The Invisible Leader: Transform Your Life, Work, and Organization with the Power of Authentic Purpose.” Zach earned his Ph.D. in Organizational Learning, Performance, and Change from Colorado State University where he serves as an Honorary Fellow in the Department of Psychology’s Center for Meaning and Purpose and as an Instructor in the Organizational Learning, Performance, and Change program.

In this interview, Zach discusses the benefits of knowing and living your purpose. He also talks about the importance of aligning your purpose with the purpose of your organization, and how great leaders create a sense of “mattering.”

Futurist Friday with Daniel Sisson

In this episode, Daniel Sisson joins the show. With an international business background, Daniel has spent his career in the San Francisco tech industry in a wide variety of roles for startup companies. He is a self-taught developer obsessed with virtual reality. the Metaverse. and the potential those technologies will present to the world.

In this interview, Daniel shares some of the newsletter sources he finds valuable for his research, he talks about political polarization in the United States and Europe, and he discusses the technologies he finds fascinating including virtual reality, the Metaverse, cryptocurrency and blockchain, artificial intelligence and robotics, and even space colonization. The interview concludes with what fills Daniel with optimism - the rise of the creator class and the attitudes of young people who are putting an emphasis on the “life” part of work/life balance.

Futurist Friday with CAPT Ken Wallace

In this episode, CAPT Ken Wallace joins the show. Based in Hawaii, CAPT Wallace is a third-generation career Naval Officer. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, he started his career as a naval flight officer. In 2001, he transferred into the Navy Meteorology and Oceanography community. He is currently on the Pacific Fleet staff as the Force Oceanographer after completing his Major Command tour as Commanding Officer of the Naval Oceanographic Office.

In this interview, CAPT Wallace discusses why he leans on history to make sense of the future. He discusses how he vets the sources he finds valuable and the importance of a close network of peers to his development as a Naval Officer. Additionally, CAPT Wallace discusses the advantages and disadvantages of remote work, tips for quickly building trust while moving into a new leadership position, the importance of innovation and development to support autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), and what fills him with a sense of optimism.

Futurist Friday with Ross Dawson

In this episode, Ross Dawson joins the show. Based in Australia, Ross is globally recognized as a leading futurist, keynote speaker, strategy advisor, best-selling author, and entrepreneur. He is Founding Chairman of the Advanced Human Technologies Group of companies and Founder of Bondi Innovation. His books include Living Networks, which The New York Times credits with predicting the social networking revolution, the Amazon.com bestseller Developing Knowledge-Based Client Relationships, Implementing Enterprise 2.0, and Getting Results From Crowds. His latest book - Thriving on Overload: The 5 Powers for Success in a World of Exponential Information - will be available September 6, 2022.

In this interview, Ross discusses the sources he values and trusts as he does his research. He talks about a few trends he is following closely, including polarization in many aspects of our lives, smart glasses, and machine/brain interfaces. Ross closes out the interview by sharing what is filling him with a sense of optimism.

Futurist Friday with Glen Hiemstra

In this episode, Glen Hiemstra joins the show. Glen started his career as a college professor at Whitworth University, the University of Washington, and Antioch University, Seattle. For the last 40 years he has been working as a professional futurist. He is also an author, keynote speaker, and consultant to business, professional and government organizations. The founder of Futurist.com, he serves as Futurist Emeritus on the Futurist.com Think Tank. The site is regularly visited by people from over 120 nations. Glen has also served as a Technical Advisor to future-oriented television programs and he still advises and appears in documentaries. He is the author of Turning the Future into Revenue and co-author of Strategic Leadership, and of Millennial City.

In this interview, Glen discusses the sources he values and trusts as he does his research. He shares the social trends he is following closely including the eventual decline in global population and the global rise of authoritarian governments. He also talks about two technology trends - space exploration, including his meeting with Elon Musk during the early years of Space X, and energy technologies that transition humans away from fossil fuels - that he is tracking.

Futurist Friday with Ufuk Tarhan

In this episode, Ufuk Tarhan joins the show. Ufuk is a futurist, economist, and a best-selling author in Istanbul. She is the only Turkish woman to appear on Forbes Magazine's "50 Most Influential Female Futurists" and "World's Top 100 Female Futurists" lists. She writes articles for business and future-oriented journals and online platforms, and she is an active and effective social media content creator.

In this interview, Ufuk discusses the wide variety of sources she regularly uses in her research. She shares the trends she is following closely including aging and how a global population that continues to get older will change the way we live. She ends the conversation with a fascinating look at the technology advances that will likely occur through the 2020s all the way to the year 2060.

Futurist Friday with Michael Kanaan

In this episode, Michael Kanaan joins the show. He is the author of the book T-Minus AI. Recently, Michael completed his role as the Director of Operations for the Department of Air Force/MIT Artificial Intelligence Accelerator and is now the Chief of Staff of the US Air Force Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School.

In this interview, Michael discusses his approach to doing research, including many of the sources he scours on a regular basis. He shares some of the trends that he is following. Those trends include device addiction, the digital divide and how that increases inequality in urban and rural communities, Artificial Intelligence, and the promise of a quantum world. He also talks about how he is inspired by people younger than him. He is filled with optimism by their empathy, ability to coordinate, and desire to be involved in public service.

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