Welcome to episode #1009 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation).
The future isn't something to predict... it's something to practice. Few people embody that idea more completely than Nick Foster, a designer, futurist and author whose work has quietly influenced some of the most innovative companies on the planet - from Sony, Nokia, and Dyson to Google X, where he served as head of design. In his new book, Could Should Might Don't - How We Think About The Future, Nick challenges the way we imagine what comes next. Rather than offering forecasts, he explores four mindsets - could, should, might, and don't - that shape how individuals and organizations approach uncertainty. In this conversation, Nick reflects on his evolution from industrial design to futures thinking, examining how curiosity fuels creativity, why nostalgia shapes our forward gaze and how responsibility must now sit at the core of every design decision. He questions the seductive influence of science fiction on our collective imagination and unpacks the cultural anxieties that accompany rapid technological change. What emerges is not a roadmap to the future but a framework for thinking. One grounded in humility, storytelling and the courage to sit with what we don't yet know. For Nick, futures design is not about prediction... it's about perspective. Enjoy the conversation…
Chapters:
(00:00) - Introduction to Futures Design. (02:55) - Curiosity and Creativity in Design. (06:01) - Exploring the Future: Challenges and Opportunities. (08:58) - The Role of Responsibility in Design. (12:01) - Cultural Shifts and the Future. (14:59) - Navigating the Unknown: The Importance of Questions. (17:49) - The Impact of Nostalgia on Future Thinking. (20:46) - The Role of Science Fiction in Shaping Futures. (24:05) - The Anxiety of Possibility: Handling the 'Might'. (27:10) - The Importance of Humility in Future Predictions. (29:46) - Embracing Uncertainty and Curiosity.
