Think Forward: Conversations with Futurists, Innovators and Big Thinkers

Thinking Liquid: Navigating Neverending Change w/ Geoff Livingston | Think Forward Show 144

Many of us are navigating a world defined by relentless change—and AI is transforming every part of it faster than we can keep up. But what if the key isn’t resisting these shifts, but mastering how to flow with them?  Geoff (a storytelling tech veteran and AI integrator) reveals how to turn the chaos into opportunity by cultivating a mindset of fluidity and continual reinvention. In this candid conversation, he shares how storytelling, your ability to craft an authentic narrative, is more crucial than ever in a landscape overwhelmed by content and noise. He debunks the myth of “long-term jobs” in a volatile economy and explains why roles like the “AI orchestrator” are the future of work. From navigating the ethics of AI development to understanding how your organization can adapt quickly and ethically, we explore concrete strategies for thriving amid systemic upheaval. We chat about many things, including: - Why “speed of slop” in marketing and design damages quality—and how to combat it - How AI tools like Claude Coworker are reshaping collaboration and productivity without sacrificing human nuance - Why the role of the “orchestrator” will become essential in managing complex AI-driven processes - The importance of mindse, like staying liquid and resilien, in facing political, societal, and technological chaos - Practical advice for future-proofing your career and business skills in a world where change is the only constant This isn’t just a discussion about AI; it’s a blueprint for building mental resilience, embracing fluidity, and turning systemic shifts into breakthroughs. If you believe adaptability is your strongest asset, this episode is your essential guide toward navigating the future confidently—whatever it holds. Perfect for entrepreneurs, executives, creators, and anyone feeling overwhelmed by the rapid pace of change. Tap into Jeff’s insights, leverage AI ethically, and learn how to stay ahead of the curve—without losing your human edge. Connect with Geoff on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffliving/  and stay tuned for his upcoming book arriving this June. This is your call to embrace the ongoing journey of reinvention—because in a world where nothing stays still, the only way forward is to stay fluid. Order Now Is Gone: Think Liquid to Navigate Neverending Change (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/Now-Gone-Liquid-Navigate-Neverending-ebook/dp/B0GHNMM383/ You can find us on all the major podcast platforms under www.thinkforward.com as well as on YouTube under ThinkForward Show. ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On:  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

Think Forward EP 145 - The Mind at the End of the Universe with Richard Yonck

You can feel the ground shifting under AI right now, but the hardest question isn’t “When do we get AGI?” It’s this: if we can’t prove whether something is conscious, how would we ever know when a machine deserves rights and protection? That single uncertainty turns today’s AI excitement into a genuine ethical dilemma with real stakes for business, policy, and daily life. We follow futurist and author Richard Yonck from a childhood obsession with technology into the real craft of forecasting, where methods matter more than titles. We pressure-test AGI hype, unpack why LLMs feel human, and confront the ethical trap of building minds we cannot prove are conscious. • Richard’s path from science writing to futures research and consulting • How the futurist label evolved from think tanks to LinkedIn noise • What corporate foresight work reveals about prior knowledge and hidden politics • Big history and the pattern of rising complexity against entropy • Why “AGI” is a misleading idea and why human intelligence is not “general” • Why generative AI and LLMs are powerful tools but limited • The hard problem of consciousness and what AI personhood could mean • Ethical risks from digital feudalism to digital serfdom • Future of work questions including automation, meaning, and UBI • Why education must shift toward lifelong learning and rapid upskilling • Hybrid intelligence as the realistic near-term model • How writing techno-thrillers can explore futures without selling hype You can reach Richard and find out about his books and more at RichardYonk.com. You can find us on all the major podcast platforms at www.thinkforward.com ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On:  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

Think Forward EP 144 - A Stone Age Body In An AI World with Tom Meyers

We explore how an evolutionary mismatch between ancient biology and modern culture keeps our stress response switched on and quietly shapes health, behavior, and society. Tom shares how future thinking helped him rebuild his own life and why “eustasis” is a practical north star for resilience and meaning in a fast-changing world.  • Tom’s journey from hospitality work to futurist thinking through a personal crisis  • The “ideal day in 10 years” prompt as a tool for direction and agency  • Letting the future pull you forward rather than the past pushing you  • Why many modern pain patterns are “software” problems, not hardware injuries  • Autonomic nervous system dysfunction, chronic stress, and dysautonomia as root drivers  • Evolutionary mismatch explained through everyday triggers and nonstop activation  • Eustasis as good balance through change across biological, psychosocial, and spiritual needs  • The risk of “no Project Human” as technology accelerates without shared purpose  • How transhuman paths could fracture humanity into diverging “species”  • The Reset Approach for resilience, including low-tech self-regulation skills for space travel  You can find us on all the major podcast platforms under www.thinkforwardshow.com as well as on YouTube under Think Forward Show.  ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On:  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

Think Forward EP 143 - Rivers, Cities and Invisible Futures with Sherman Cruz

We explore why fear-based futures work narrows imagination and how an indigenous lens replaces control with respect for the unknown. Sherman shares how futures literacy, decolonizing foresight, and relationship-centered thinking change the way leaders prepare for crisis, technology, and the long term. • Sherman’s journey from governance and risk work to full-time futures studies and strategic foresight  • How Future Shock shaped a generation’s view of disruption and adaptation  • Why we do not get to choose our crises and what that means for preparedness  • Weak signals, Black Swans, and the limits of “safe futures” thinking  • Dreams and Disruptions as a futures literacy card game for fast scenario building  • Uncertainty as a learnable environment that surfaces hidden assumptions  • Leadership archetypes inspired by Sarkar and what they reveal about organizations  • Decolonizing foresight as power awareness and reclaiming diverse ways of knowing  • Global South Futures and the idea that relationships are reality  • Rivers as living entities and what regenerative cities demand from long-term thinking  • A critique of utilitarian foresight and AI as hyper-optimization built to sell  • Practical advice for the next generation of futurists centered on improvisation You can find us on all the major podcast platforms under www.thinkforwardshow.com as well as on YouTube under Think Forward Show. ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On:  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.

Think Forward EP 142 - Hunting for Another Earth with Dr Sara Seager

Welcome to this special crossover episode from our other show, Going Off World. In this episode, the hunt for alien life isn’t a sci-fi dream. It’s a patient, high-stakes investigation unfolding across labs, observatories, and space missions—and Sarah Seager is charting the course. We sit down with the MIT exoplanet pioneer to unpack how a field once defined by four puzzling worlds grew into a catalog of thousands, each challenging our assumptions about what planets can be and where life might take hold. We trace Dr Sarah Seager’s path from early skepticism about hot Jupiters to leading-edge missions seeking signs of life in exoplanet atmospheres and even the acid clouds of Venus. The conversation blends technology, theory, and personal resilience to map the long road to finding another Earth. If you care about exoplanets, biosignatures, Venus, and the future of discovery, this conversation is a guided tour of what it will take to spot another Earth and how that finding could reshape our place in the cosmos. If you enjoyed this episode, follow the show, share it with a friend who loves space, and leave a review to help more curious minds find us. • how exoplanet science matured from four planets to thousands • why hot Jupiters reshaped formation theories • Kepler’s impact and TESS’s role in finding follow-up targets • what biosignature gases are and why they matter • starshade and direct imaging to see Earthlike worlds • red dwarf habitability, tidal locking, and stellar flares • Venus phosphine debate and sulfuric acid cloud chemistry • realistic timelines, tech limits, and the long view • career foundations, generalist leadership, and mentorship Find her over at SarahSeager.com. She is also on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and a bunch of other social media platforms. You can just search for her name, Sarah Seager. Thanks for listening to the Think Forward Podcast. You can find us on all the major podcast platforms and at www.thinkforwardshow.com as well as on YouTube under Think Forward Show. ORDER SUPERSHIFTS! bit.ly/supershifts 🎧 Listen Now On:  Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-forward-conversations-with-futurists-innovators-and-big-thinkers/id1736144515 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0IOn8PZCMMC04uixlATqoO Web: https://thinkforward.buzzsprout.com/ Thank you for joining me on this ongoing journey into the future. Until next time, stay curious, and always think forward.