"The future used to be a distant destination we planned for; now, it's a high-speed operating system we must run on and align to every single day." - Futurist Jim Carroll
I'm starting another series here. This one should run for about two weeks, as I take on the trends that various industries should be aligning with.
I've gone back and examined the countless trend posts I've written on various industries - manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, and more. These have been in relation to keynotes I've done, trends I've observed, or megatrends and other series I've written.
And I've realized there is a lot of insight in there!
Here in September 2025, the headwinds are severe and the path forward seems shrouded in fog. We're living through one of the most volatile and unpredictable periods in recent memory. This new, high-speed 'operating system' of the future is defined by relentless change, and the default reaction for many is to simply shut down—to "hunker down and wait it out." But as I outline in my new book, Dancing in the Rain: How Bold Leaders Grow Stronger in Stormy Times, you cannot wait for clarity; you must create it through action. The only viable strategy is to move forward, especially in a storm.
It is with that urgent mindset that I am launching this new series, The Way Forward: A Trends and Transformation Series. Think of it as the user manual for this new operating system—a detailed, actionable roadmap for what key industries must do to navigate the chaos and own their future. I think it's something that is needed in this particular moment. What brought this about is a conference call I'm doing today with a potential 2026 keynote; the client is in the manufacturing sector, and wants an in-depth overview of what they really need to do to align with the trends defining the future of their industry.
All the discussions have led me to realize - people might be climbing out of their cone of uncertainty and are starting to move. That means it's timely.
Right now, in many industries, the headwinds are severe and the path forward seems shrouded in fog. We're living through one of the most volatile and unpredictable periods in recent memory, where the default reaction for many is to "hunker down and wait it out." But my entire career has been spent advising leaders that you cannot wait for clarity; you must create it through action. This is the very essence of my new book, Dancing in the Rain: How Bold Leaders Grow Stronger in Stormy Times. I know that even in a storm, especially in a storm, the only viable strategy is to move forward. It is with that urgent mindset that I am launching this new series, "The Way Forward," to provide a detailed, actionable roadmap for what key industries must do to navigate the chaos and own their future.
Look, this instinct to "hunker down" is a trap. As I’ve observed from stages around the world, this hesitation creates a dangerous chasm in our economy. In manufacturing, I call it a "barbell structure," where large firms invest in the future while smaller ones get left behind. In agriculture, I see it as the difference between the "future-positive" farmer and the "stuck-skeptic". This widening gap between the innovators and the laggards is the single greatest challenge facing business today.
That is why I am launching this series. "The Way Forward" is not about abstract theory or distant science fiction. It's a clear, actionable roadmap for leaders who understand that the future isn't something to be feared, but something to be created. Over the coming weeks, we will embark on a detailed voyage into the trends and transformations reshaping the world's most vital industries, including:
- Agriculture
- Manufacturing
- Healthcare
- Insurance
- Automotive
- Construction
- Education
- Energy
- Food & Consumer Products
...and many others.
For each industry, this series will provide:
- The landscape: A concise overview of the top transformative trends—from AI and robotics to accelerated science and mass customization—that are fundamentally rewriting the rules of the game.
- the strategic roadmap: Concrete, actionable strategies that organizations of all sizes can implement to align with this new reality, with a particular focus on how small and medium-sized businesses can catch up and compete.
- real-world examples: Insights drawn directly from my keynotes and leadership sessions with the world's most innovative organizations, showing how these strategies are being put into practice right now.
The future belongs to those who are fast. This series is your guide to getting faster.
Viewing the future as a high-speed operating system is the critical mindset shift for 2025. Your legacy strategies are like outdated software—becoming slower, less secure, and incompatible with each passing moment of volatility. They were built for a different machine, a different era. This "Way Forward" series is designed to be your upgrade path! A reboot! A cold restart! Hitting the switch and letting things power up fresh!
Think of it as the essential user manual and developer kit for this new reality, providing the architecture and the code you need to not just run on this new OS, but to thrive within it. It's time to stop running legacy systems in a world that demands a complete rewrite.
Let's begin the upgrade. I'll start tomorrow with the topic of manufacturing.
Futurist Jim Carroll recently released the book, Dancing in the Rain: How Bold Leaders Grow Stronger in Stormy Times.