He loves me but won’t live in a drone-free area any longer
- So, if everything is fine, what’s the thing I’m sensing?
- We decided to move to grandma's old unit to travel more and be able to save some money. He crunched at work recently to get this promotion, so the last few months were brutal. We had a stupid argument at breakfast, and he snapped…
- Hmm, sorry to hear that.
- He told me he loves me but can’t live in a drone-free area any longer. It’s a drag on his career, and he misses racing with friends.
- And you were calm and reasonable this time?
- Oh, I got mad and told him that he’s not a fucking spaceship captain, and it would be great if he could finally put his shit together and stop being delusional, as he won’t ever compete on a pro level again after that accident.
She sniffles.
- Stop it! A captain? Is he a pilot again?
She quickly wipes her nose with a hand, smudging her visor.
- Just a little. He operates a fleet of delivery drones, and his PI is Starfleet.
- Personal Interface?
- Yes, when he coordinates deliveries, he shouts all day at his setup. Warp 6! Engage!, Status! Evasive Manoeuvres! Direct power to shields!
- Sounds like he’s living a nerd’s dream.
- He’s good. I tried to convert him to swarmball, but he’s racing for money with friends, so it’s racing or nothing.
- If most things work, then ask yourself a single question.
- Is it not too late to use my safe word?
- Stop it, I’m serious.
She takes a loud, deep breath.
- Does he make you a better person? If not, this is a good moment to think it over, especially as you told me he may already have some galaxy-wide commitments as a Starfleet officer.
She chuckles then inhales.
- And if yes?
- Then, as Captain Picard would put it… It would be foolish of you not to be curious about the people the two of you can become together.
- You’ve prompted it now?
- But it’s true. Can’t you once listen to your mother?
Hello Practical Futurists,
Welcome to your weekly practice, where we use futures thinking and product sci-fi to improve your strategic imagination and get your leadership future-ready.
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Start here to make the most of your time if this is your first
rodeoedition.
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Weekly Self-Reflection Prompts
Let's make the products and services mentioned in this week’s story even more relatable by first grounding them in your personal life.
Use this quote from a brilliant physicist as a starting point for each prompt for extra inspiration.
I never think of the future, it comes soon enough.
Albert Einstein
Personal life reflection prompts
Why would you be happy (or worried) knowing that AED-equipped drones would be the first responders in case of your loved one experiencing a heart attack?
Name 3 famous franchises your best friend would use in their personal interface theme.
List four reasons why drone-free areas could have higher rent.
Would your personal interface theme stick to your favourite franchise or combine several ones?
What should be the legal drone fleet operator’s age?
Great job.
Now, let’s switch to the context of your industry, organisation, or product you are working with.
Professional life reflection prompts
Which productivity guru’s PI theme optimisation would you try first?
Should a large team pick a shared PI theme, select some for a rotation, or let everyone work however they like?
Would you turn on in-context definitions and numerical data for conversations with colleagues or clients?
And that’s all we have today.
Share your answers in the comments. It helps us better understand what resonates with you so we can explore those ideas further.
Don't forget to explore previous editions if you want even more inspiration.
Have a great week, and see you in the next one.
Pawel Halicki
PS. If you’re enjoying Practical Futures, will you take 5 seconds to forward this edition to inspire a fellow leader?
It helps us to grow the community and may one day empower more strategic thinkers to lead in the age of AI.