Episode 437 - Design not decisions: new New Year thinking

'Don't let AI set your vision. But harness AI to help you execute your vision.'

For me, the start of a new year always brings a sense of potential. It's a chance to make changes. But I'm old enough to know that resolutions are easy to make and hard to keep - these days I'm all about design rather than decisions.

This year, more than any other I can remember, feels like a tipping point in history as AI goes mainstream and the polycrisis comprising climate, economic and geopolitical unrest swirls around us. 

What does it mean to be a slightly better human in this context? It'll be different for everyone, but it's almost certain to involve some intentional choices about our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual dimensions. And it will also demand that we think carefully about what we delegate to AI to boost our productivity and effectiveness and what we retain as a core human capability. 

Here are some thoughts on how I'm approaching this new year, and some questions for you to think about, too. And however you decide to design 2025, there's some thoughts on how you can use exploratory writing as your secret weapon for making those changes stick.

Let’s make this New Year extraordinary!