When the Future Begins: A Guide to Long-Term Thinking

by Magnus Lindkvist

Long-term thinking and planning is such an ingrained part of everyday life that we tend either not to see it or merely take it for granted. From pensions, retirement, holiday planning, marriage (or divorce) to corporate strategy and choosing the right school for our kids - the assumptions we make about tomorrow tend to be sketchy at best! Why do we so often underplay such important future plans in our lives? One of the main reasons is that we have never been given the right tools with which to think and plan ahead. Futurology - the art of thinking ahead - has often been relegated to science fiction writers and witch doctors. In fact, it's a tool that can actually help us understand and plan for a better future for ourselves. This book, by a leading futurologist, presents the practical tools of long-term thinking and planning to the everyday situations that we all face.

160 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2012

About the author

Magnus Lindkvist is a trendspotter, futurologist, and author based in Stockholm, Sweden. With a passion for exploring the intersection of ideas, technology, and humanity, Magnus has spent the past two decades inspiring audiences worldwide to think differently about the future.

As an author, Magnus blends storytelling, research, and humor to challenge conventional thinking and spark curiosity about what lies ahead. His work often explores the patterns and forces shaping the world, offering readers fresh perspectives on topics ranging from innovation to the impact of artificial intelligence.

Magnus holds a master’s degree in business and a degree in film production, a combination that reflects his unique ability to merge analytical insights with creative storytelling. Known for his electrifying and humorous keynote speeches, he has worked with organizations across the globe, helping leaders embrace uncertainty and harness the power of trends for long-term success.

Beyond his work as a speaker and author, Magnus is a dedicated movie buff, avid reader of The Economist, and a lover of American football. He is also committed to staying ahead of the curve—not just as a thinker but as a lifelong learner and creative explorer.

Reviews

[Mu-tien Chiou · Rating 2 out of 5]

overall a very disorganized book that keeps coming back to tell you just one very simple thing: the future is open-ended, and conventional wisdom is no reliable guide to it.

structure-wise, there are many stand-alone paragraphs or sections within a given chapter that exhibit no logical flow or connections with one another.

style-wise the author might not be a bad storyteller, as he opens some chapters with interesting anecdotes that i also borrow in my speech (e.g. what germinates the movie series Terminator and the Nintendo video game Mario), but he clearly did not have enough analytical sophistication about the main subject that is worthy of 200 pages of writing. if you happened to pick this book and you feel like skipping paragraphs while skimming through it, just do it you won't lose anything precious.

philosophy-wise, behind an utilitarian outlook that is packaged in vocabularies such as dreams and progresses, he does seems to me to be an implicit nihilist who does not believe the universe exist for any purpose in which humanity must seek to understand and participate.

[Hamad · Rating 1 out of 5]

I only read 30 pages of the book, I will stop reading , i will not let this book waste any minutes from my future.

Simply , there is no wisdom you can grasp from any page.

[David · Rating 1 out of 5]

Apparently I am so far the first to make the comments for this book. 2 words: 2 stars rated. This book is alright, ill-organized, ill-focused of directing readers to god knows where. after reading half the book, just realized that the theme of the book is to tell people in general: don't think about the past, stop watching TV, think out of the box..(and most still think they are, but they are not out of the box). This book is written like telling a miner to sit down and make himself a cup of fine expresso, and then think out of the box and think to get other meaningful job (to him)..it is too, how can I read this book...going fishing but without getting your hands dirty, yet, encouraging the fisher to go fish in a bigger ocean..(but without getting the hands dirty)..sucky book. people should watch his TED..if that makes you feel better.