Notices by Futurist Jim Carroll (jimcarroll@futurist.info)

"Imagine a crazy idea. Now imagine it's real. That's your future!" - Futurist Jim Carroll

In a few hours, I'll be speaking at the annual event for Texas Farm Credit Bank. In the room? A few hundred folks are on the various local Boards of the organization, most of whom are farmers themselves. In that capacity, they are often involved in decisions involving the financing of fellow farmers throughout the state. It;'s kind of a unique setup.

I'll be covering, of course, a variety of key themes for them, all of which involve the future of agriculture.

Of course, my talk takes a look at a lot of unique trends, some of which are very short-term and very real, and others which are longer-term and as of this moment in time, not yet so real. 

And in fact, some of those trends might seem to be somewhat crazy.
I'm putting the question to them - would they be prepared to fund these 'crazy' ideas?

Such as tricorders for cows?

How about a laser-based weed-whacking robot?

Or a series of cotton-picking robots?

Or even a virtual 24-hour farm that is operated pretty much like today's Farmville video game?

The thing is - while all these ideas might seem crazy to them, many of them are rapidly reaching reality. 

Tricorders for cows? We've got clips that monitor for bovine respiratory disease, and ingestible bolus devices that monitor for temperature acidosis in cows' stomachs, with wireless reporting within 20 feet. We're also seeing the early arrival of robotic picking devices and other technologies on the farm.

Weed-whacking robots? Got that covered too.

That's the thing about the future - your crazy is someone else's reality. 
Here's my take on this wild and wonderful journey from "crazy" to "of course!" - and trust me, after 30 years of studying innovation, I've seen this movie play out again and again! Every time someone says "That's impossible!
" or "That's crazy!" I get this huge grin on my face. Why? Because I've learned that today's "impossible" is tomorrow's "obviously!"

My message this morning? Drop those blinders! Look around! The future isn't some distant dream - it's being built right now, all around us. And it's coming at us faster than anyone expects. They might find themselves funding some pretty fascinating technologies and ideas in the not-too-distant future.

What's the lesson for you? Do you want to know the real secret to spot the next big thing? Study the pattern of crazy! That's where the future is often found!

And if you have your crazy ideas - good for you! You're on the right path - The next time someone tells you your idea is too crazy, remember this: every great innovation starts with someone willing to look foolish.

---

Futurist Jim Carroll often finds future clarity in the crazy.

**#Innovation** **#Agriculture** **#Technology** **#Robotics** **#Future** **#Disruption** **#Automation** **#Vision** **#Progress** **#Transformation**

https://jimcarroll.com/2025/02/daily-inspiration-agriculture-trends-imagine-a-crazy-idea-now-imagine-its-real-thats-your-future/

"Every single opportunity is always within the margin of possibility!" - Futurist Jim Carroll

When the World Bank invited me to keynote on the future of manufacturing, they made one thing crystal clear: they wanted me to flip the script - paint of picture of opportunity, not disruption. Think about it - in the industry, everyone's been talking about disruption, what I could call "automation anxiety," global competition, new young upstarts, and relentless volatility - aka economic whiplash.

But here's the thing - despite all the big change trends on the horizon, they're rocket fuel for those who know how to harness them. With that in mind, I just put together a little Website that details my manufacturing keynotes - the type of thing I did for this group. It's over at https://manufacturing.jimcarroll.com. I highlight these trends at the top of the page:

“Collapsing product lifecycles. Artificial intelligence. The connectivity of the Industrial Internet of Things. Mass customization. Digitization, robotics, and the cloud. Design based on crowd thinking. Rapid prototyping and deployment. Faster time to market. 3D printing / additive manufacturing. Are you ready for the new world of manufacturing?”

As a manufacturing executive or engineer, you could look at all those things and see a threat - but the real magic is if you instead see them as opportunities. I don't know if you have ever looked at it, but check one of the highlighted images on the home page of my Web site.

That's the essence of my thinking, and that's what I shared at this event and many others.

My manufacturing keynote description goes as follows:

----

While popular media and opportunistic politicians portray a picture of a sector in crisis, smart manufacturing executives are furiously busy with innovation, reinventing their capabilities, processes, and business models using advanced ideas, materials, methodologies, and technologies.

The reality of manufacturing today is that there is a big opportunity that comes from aligning with fast-paced trends. What a time for innovation opportunity, and for insight from a great keynote that really puts all of these trends into perspective.

---

All of the trends sweeping the manufacturing sector represent an opportunity. They represent possibilities for reinvention, transformation, and innovation. And they are out there, just waiting to be grabbed. They are within the margin of possibility.

Do you have the same mindset?

#Manufacturing #Innovation #Opportunity #Growth #Velocity #Disruption #Future #Transformation #Experimentation #Optimism

Original post: https://jimcarroll.com/2025/02/daily-inspiration-chasing-innovation-every-single-opportunity-is-always-within-the-margin-of-possibility/

"One single idea acted upon is far more powerful than a thousand contemplated!" - Futurist Jim Carroll

This was a photo taken Saturday night after our 'proof' copy arrived - and it looks fantastic. We just made some minor fixes, and so we are good to go. We're in print!

Buy my book!

You can do that right now at https://mediocrity.jimcarroll.com.
I'd be thrilled to see a few orders come through! Seriously!

You can get it on Amazon - in Canada, the US, Germany, Japan, and a few other countries. Ships in just days!

Or, if you like, you can buy it directly from me. Send me your mediocre message with the order, and I'll personally write that into the front and sign it for you! Shipping might take a little bit longer since I'm doing my bulk print order later this week,

And thinking about this fun little project - that's the genesis of today's quote. I know I preach the idea that the future belongs to those who are fast.

We need to think big, start small, and scale fast.

That we should always be ready, set, and ... done!

Because the future belongs to those who are fast!

Do you think I have a theme at work here?

Living a career that has involved me preaching the importance of action and speed is one thing - but even I am wildly surprised at how quickly my wife and I moved with this book. Not only that but how quickly I'm already working on the sequel - known as Escaping Mediocrity!

Look, I'm a big believer in what I say in today's quote -
people do far better if they act on one single idea, rather than thinking about a whole bunch of ideas and NEVER acting upon them.

The future doesn't wait for those who ponder - those who wait - those who debate - and those who dream but never act.
It rewards those who move forward!

What a fun little project!

This was an idea that involved a blog post I wrote Dec. 15 - realizing I had the basis for a book on December 17 - working feverishly to pull together my content by December 23 - generating several hundred images to choose from from December 27th to the 30th - and then the hard legwork of getting all this into a printable format.

The fact is, it would have happened quicker, but my wife is the Treasurer of a young adult special-needs charity we are heavily involved with, and several very important projects took her priority! That being the case, the time from conception to print could have been far faster .... and I was advised to be patient several times during the intervening time.

Look, the future doesn't wait for those who analyze; it rewards those who anticipate and act.

----

Futurist Jim Carroll is already hard at work on the companion book to this one, titled Escaping Mediocrity.

#Action #Speed #Publishing #Implementation #Writing #Execution #Creation #Productivity #Collaboration #Organization

Original post: https://jimcarroll.com/2025/02/daily-inspiration-embracing-mediocrity-is-published-one-single-idea-acted-upon-is-far-more-powerful-than-a-thousand-contemplated/

Embrace your mediocrity!

@evcurvefuturist.com Selling my Model 3, taking a loss, can't take it anymore.

"Uncomfortably numb? Dazed and confused? Is this real life or fantasy? You want to be sedated? Hello, darkness my old friend? Welcome to the jungle. Because volatility seems to be the new normal." - Futurist Jim Carroll

Fun fact - I was a roadie for KISS for a few concerts. Plus, for Canadian fans - for April Wine! I got to carry the bell from Ooowatanite onto a stage in front of about 10,000 fans. Maybe that's where I developed my love for the stage!

Back to today's post.

2025 sure has been interesting (is that an understatement?) so far! We are barely into the new year.

So while today I'm having fun with some classic music lyrics, I also see them as more than just artistic statements – they're barometers of our collective response to this unprecedented era of massive instability.

So let's take it apart.

What many of us might describe as feeling " uncomfortably numb" or "dazed and confused" reflects a deeper truth about our current reality. We're living in a time where geopolitical certainties are dissolving overnight, where established alliances are being tossed overboard without regard for what they might mean, and where the very foundations of global order are being questioned.

With that, the desire to "be sedated" is, for many, an understandable response to a world where every morning's headlines might bring news of another crisis, another shift in the global power balance, or another challenge to long-held assumptions. But seeking escape through inaction is precisely the wrong response - I learned that many years ago.

When people reference "darkness," they're often expressing their discomfort with uncertainty itself. We're in an era where supply chains can be disrupted by a single blocked canal, where regional conflicts can trigger global economic shockwaves, and where erratic leadership is quickly destroying whatever stability we had. It's easy to lose ourselves to the negative, particularly when there is so much of it about.

So "welcome to the jungle" indeed! But this jungle isn't about speed; it's about the jungle of unpredictability. I think we all need to develop what I call "volatility intelligence" – enhancing our ability to thrive not just in change, but in chaos.

So - here I go again - think about this ---> the future belongs not to those who can simply move fast, but to those who can navigate complexity and uncertainty. 

The people who might thrive are those who can find clarity in the chaos, opportunity in the uncertainty, and purpose in periods of profound disruption.

This isn't just my normal optimism – it's how I'm trying to keep moving forward in this era of crazy global volatility.

Can you?

Futurist Jim Carroll looks back fondly at his short career as a ‘roadie.’

Original post - https://jimcarroll.com/2025/02/daily-inspiration-into-2025-uncomfortably-numb-dazed-and-confused-volatility-seems-to-be-the-new-normal/

"Whatever it takes. That has to be your mindset." - Futurist Jim Carroll

Many people seem to be engineered to give up too easily. Pack it in. Move on before the hard work. Never give what it takes. Abandon the effort. Never do what it takes.

The question is - why?

People seem to understand what success requires, yet consistently fail to take the necessary actions.

What's behind this attitude? 

Comfortable complacency. Too many get trapped in what I call the "good enough zone" - where they're just comfortable enough to resist real change, but not successful enough to thrive. This dangerous complacency is like a slow-acting poison in today's rapid-change environment.

A "not-my-problem' attitude. Too many people see the need for change but respond with "not my department" or "not my responsibility." This abandonment of responsibility creates a paradox: everyone sees the problem, but no one takes action.

Fear is the default setting. People are too scared to move and choose inaction as a strategy, mistaking it for prudence. But here's the reality: in 2025, the risk of doing nothing far outweighs the risk of action.

A lack of confidence. A lot of people have convinced themselves they can't adapt or master new realities. They've created their glass ceilings, limiting their potential before even trying.

Here's the stark reality: Success requires more than just knowing what to do - it demands the courage to do it. You need to move beyond understanding to action, beyond planning to execution, beyond fear to calculated risk-taking.

Here's the thought you need to plant in your mind - the future doesn't belong to the smartest or the strongest - it belongs to those willing to do whatever it takes to succeed.

So how do you do that?

Here's my list.

**#Persistence** **#Innovation** **#Growth** **#Action** **#Resilience** **#Speed** **#Commitment** **#Excellence** **#Fearless** **#Breakthrough**

Original post: https://jimcarroll.com/2025/02/daily-inspiration-moving-into-motivation-whatever-it-takes-that-has-to-be-your-mindset/

@Codeschubse @ai6yr You seem nice. Issues much?

@Fjatke @ai6yr I'm Canadian.

"Never hide your hidden talents!" - Futurist Jim Carroll

I find innovation and creativity stories everywhere I look! (And I'm playing with my creativity - today's image was generated on MidJourney, and is used in my newest book, just released!)

Consider the piano intro for Free Bird, the anthemic song by the rock band Lynrd Skynrd.

I recently watched the documentary Muscle Shoals - it's the story about a small little community in Alabama that hosted two of the world's most iconic music studios, where a group of remarkable session musicians provided the foundation for a huge number of hit songs, and where a good swathe of rock royalty recorded their work. If you haven't seen it, I'd highly recommend it.

At one moment, it's telling the story of Lynyrd Skynyrd and the recording of the famous song - it seems as with all things, the band was struggling with piecing the song together. And yet, when they returned from lunch one day, they found one of their roadies noodling away on the studio piano, playing the part that would become the iconic opening to the song.

Their roadie!

The documentary goes on to note that few people realized that while he was responsible for moving crates and carrying equipment, he also had a hidden skill. "He was a concert pianist, and nobody knew about it," noted one of the members of the band. Watch this short clip - and in particular, at 1:31, where they tell the story of the discovery.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg3fGhxytVk

Billy went on to become a full member of the band, touring with them for many years, and playing with them even beyond the plane crash that saw the loss of key members in the early years.

That got my creativity juices thinking: how many people around us have skills of which we are not aware? What hidden talents exist on our team that could bring us magic - that we have no clue about? What capabilities already exist in our orbit while we are busy searching for those very same skills?

Not only that: how many of us hold back from telling others of some of the unique skills that we might possess? What hidden talents are we holding back? We might not think they are important - but they could be revolutionary!

This got me thinking - many people might hold back from sharing their full range of skills. They might be able to do something unique that can help our team move forward, but they might be too shy, don't think the skills are relevant, or simply never think to tell us. The result is missed opportunities and discoveries.

For me, unique skills and talents are often the hidden key to innovation.

How often do we not learn about them until we discover that the next wave of innovation comes from unexpected sources?

The future belongs to those who dare to reveal their hidden capabilities.

**#Talent** **#Innovation** **#Discovery** **#Creativity** **#Skills** **#Potential** **#Growth** **#Opportunity** **#Success** **#Unique**

https://jimcarroll.com/2025/02/daily-inspiration-creativity-and-skills-never-hide-your-hidden-talents/

@alienghic @ai6yr If anyone understands the future of the auto industry, it's Jim Farley at Ford.

Right to repair ? I speak to a lot of farming groups. Totally support it, and I'm not a big fan of companies that think innovation consists of putting up barriers to innovation.

https://jimcarroll.com/2025/01/daily-inspiration-denial-costs-more-than-disruption-ever-will/

Struggling to figure out what to get your love for Valentine's Day?

How about some mediocrity!

We're live! Haven't seen my check copy, but it's up on Amazon!

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/0973655496
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0973655496

"Many people bought a car. Not an ideology." - Futurist Jim Carroll

It's an "interesting" time to own a Tesla.

I've said before that it is becoming increasingly difficult to be someone who speaks and writes about the future when so much of the future has become massively volatile and wildly unpredictable. It becomes even more difficult when you find yourself caught up in a hot mess that you didn't anticipate or wish for.

Today's image is from the day I drove my Model 3 for the first time when I purchased it just under 4 years ago. I was thrilled to finally have the vehicle that I spoke about on the stage for years. A brand and vehicle that was indicative of bold thinking, radical design, massive connectivity, and eco-friendliness. It was a revolutionary project, redefining the future of one of the world's biggest industries. The founder was a true visionary, someone willing to shatter the norms in pursuit of a better future.

Today, to be honest, it's a bit difficult to drive around in it.

I feel like I'm being branded with something that I did not subscribe to.
All the stuff I just wrote above? It seems somewhat like a cruel joke.

A better future? I'm Canadian.

For years, I've observed that a brand today can go from hero to zero overnight.

Yup.

Have you seen how people are responding? Do a quick search and you'll find dozens if not hundreds of bumper stickers, license plate frames, and other accoutrements by which people share their disgust, weariness, frustration, and disappointment.

I might be compelled to get one, in that I've already had a few people give me the finger while I'm driving.

If you see someone with something like this, give them a wave - be nice to them! As I said, we bought a car, not an ideology. Many Tesla owners I have spoken to are considering selling the car and moving into something that doesn't make a statement but simply does what it is supposed to do.

I consider this course of action regularly. Do I stay or do I go now? It's a dilemma. I still love the car ; the brand and owner not so much.

Many are responding with their wallet. 

The European market - traditionally a stronghold for Tesla - is showing us the power of consumer values in action as people associate the brand with a rapid hero-to-zero transition. We're seeing unprecedented declines: 63% in France, 59% in Germany, 38% in Norway, and similar dramatic drops across other key markets, culminating in a 10%+ European decline in 2024.

This isn't just a market correction - it's a fundamental realignment of consumer values with purchase decisions.

A brand today can go from hero to zero in a matter of months.

Futurist Jim Carroll predicted the Tesla business model in 2006.

**#Brand** **#Leadership** **#Values** **#Innovation** **#Change** **#Decline** **#Reputation** **#Influence** **#Identity** **#Consumer**

Original post: https://jimcarroll.com/2025/02/daily-inspiration-brand-image-many-people-bought-a-car-not-an-ideology/

@ct_bergstrom Here's mine! Out my back door one day.

"New risk demands new thinking. Uninsurable risk demands bold thinking." - Futurist Jim Carroll

In just about a month, I'll head to California to headline a major insurance conference. The fact that I'm speaking in a region that is home to one of the largest insurance losses in US history is not lost on me, and in fact, will provide form for much of my talk. Loosely structured, I will be focusing on 'the future of risk.'

The fact is, I've done this talk on numerous occasions over the years. Not trying to boast, but I've done keynotes or have led leadership meetings for a vast array of insurance companies over the years.

Think about it - for years I've been indicating that clearly, new risk demands new thinking. But we are now in the midst of a massive new trend - one in which uninsurable risk demands bold thinking. The fact is, the insurance industry finds itself at a pivotal moment where traditional models are colliding with accelerating risk. The very foundations of insurability are being challenged by climate, technology, and societal shifts.

But in every challenge lies opportunity.

Think about what's happening right now: Coastal property insurance is collapsing in regions where rising seas meet increasing storm intensity. Traditional auto insurance is being disrupted by the connected car. Pandemic risk coverage is being fundamentally reshaped by vaccine hesitancy and emerging pathogens. Supply chain interruption insurance is desperately trying to keep up with a world where 'just-in-time' meets 'constant disruption' and where the mad whims of the delusional destroy global commerce. Carbon emission insurance is attempting to price risks that didn't even exist a decade ago.

Every one of these challenges is pushing us toward new solutions that are as innovative as the risks they address:

---

Futurist Jim Carroll takes on highly complex topics in his industry-specific keynotes.

**#Innovation** **#Risk** **#Insurance** **#Future** **#Disruption** **#Change** **#Solutions** **#Transformation** **#Adaptation** **#Progress**

https://jimcarroll.com/2025/02/daily-inspiration-the-future-of-insurance-new-risk-demands-new-thinking-uninsurable-risk-demands-bold-thinking/

@jfederer The owner of easyDNS is a 30 year personal friend. You will do well with them! Here's to Canada!

Well, I guess it makes sense, given the domain name.

Today I moved my Mastodon server, futurist.info, from Vultr over to Hertzner. It's now located in Germany.

I'm a Canadian. And I must say, it's pretty damned hard to keep your IT infrastructure out of the US and out of US companies, but I'm doing what I can. Amazon S3 is my big problem but I might tackle that next.

Fuck the tariffs.

Testing testing testing.

Anyone out there?

Moved my Mastodon server from Vultr to Hetzner just now. It seems to have worked.

#mastoadmin #selfhost

Do you see me coming from 49.13.63.85

All looks good, but I can't believe it worked right the first time!

Any suggestions of some integrity checks I should look at? I did a sqldump and import, and a media tar/gzip move.

Just seems weird that it worked.