I had a great time living your life
She answers his call with a tap on the steering wheel. Neon highway lights reflect off her windshield.
- How are you?
A strangely familiar voice asks through the car's speakers. But something feels odd.
- Excuse me, do I know you?
- Oh, you’re driving and can’t see me?
His chuckle surrounds her through the car's speakers.
- I updated my work accent algorithm and wanted to double-check with you before I use it in client meetings. It’s supposed to make my voice sound more authoritative.
She detects the nervousness in his voice, knowing how anxious he gets before big presentations. A soft smile forms on her lips.
- Haha, you got me. I'd say it sounds just right.
- I need this extra clarity and confidence boost for my voice. Establishing trust in consulting is tough when first impressions fall flat. As AI takes care of productivity, your creative decision-making is the only differentiator in the market.
- I get that, but how did your industry manage before voice filters?
- I could ask you the same. Where is the joy of discovering new passion when everything has “Add to lifestyle” buttons?
- Don’t you find it odd that video filters caught on before voice filters? You'd think manipulating sound would be easier than altering live video.
- Maybe mental models? Once everyone understands how something works, you can apply it elsewhere to make it easier to understand and use. This is true for video filters becoming voice filters and the “Add to cart” button for specific items turning into “Add to lifestyle” for whole categories. If you like something, add it to your lifestyle, and the algorithms will take care of the rest.
- And extrapolate the shit out of it.
- That’s why human touch is so important. Experiencing another human‘s taste, perspective, or ideas is the central theme of any organic culture.
- And that’s why trading lifestyle presets was the inevitable next step after the creator’s economy. Everyone wants a shortcut to the perfect life.
- It’s easier for you as a freelancer. You can choose who to work with.
- Remember what we agreed on: one freelancer per couple. We can’t risk two inconsistent income streams.
- Why are you driving?
- I need manual activity to think.
- Oh, what are you thinking about? How was the meeting?
- Standard chit-chat. Nice to meet you. I had a great time living your life. You saw me last month when I tested it. Her lifestyle preset delivers on its promise. Moreover, it works for most cost-of-living price ranges.
- Excellent! You’ve got a hit on your hands? Where’s the enthusiasm?
- I’m on the fence. The seller was great, but I didn’t like their terms. The product is amazing, and the results are impressive. I’m sure I could take it to another level, but for some strange reason, they want all cash.
- Isn’t 60-30-10 split a standard?
- Yep, I was ready to pay sixty in cash, thirty after the first quarter on the market, and let them keep 10% of future royalties.
- Hmm. Flipping proven lifestyles is a cash-flow business, like flipping anything else. But you’re good at it. Maybe you’re not very good at choosing your business partners…
She cuts him off with a stone-cold voice recalling their last argument about unreliable clients.
- Don’t start this again.
- I’m just saying “Social Animal” was a banger. I’m confident your last preset contributed to global demography.
- What do you think?
- Just promise me you will take a human-grade break and rest once you turn it into another bestseller. You're always overthinking. Your intuition is almost always right. Maybe you need to trust your gut this time.
She smiles at his teasing tone of voice.
- Says the man who’s afraid to speak at work without voice filters.
- Very funny. Not all of us are fearless freelancers.
- I don’t have a resume, just a presentable body of work, and you know what they say. You’re only as good as your last creation. I’m a freelancer because I don’t like to sleep.
They share a smile.
- I need to go. My team is second in line.
- Fingers cro…
She yawns loudly, stretching her arms in the car's confined space. Video of his feed fills the windshield as she turns on the auto mode. He waves at her.
- You hit the road but should hit the pillow instead.
- Yup. On second thought, I could use a drive nap before my next meeting.
- Sleep tight and safe travels.
- Kisses.
Sleep mode dims the windows when the car merges into the busy auto lane. Another load for lifestyle presets floats along the highway junction, but she’s already asleep. Gentle rhythmic snoring syncs with the engine hum as the car carries her towards the next important meeting.
Hello Practical Futurists,
Welcome back from the future, where lifestyles are traded, and AI takes care of productivity, making creativity and decision-making even more important.
Hit the "Like" button at the top or bottom of this page to inspire others and help them discover the stories you've enjoyed.Good leaders don't just wait for the future.
They help to create it.
Thank you for your continuous support and dedication to envisioning a better future with us.
Before we start, remember to take our quick two-minute survey and help improve Practical Futures for 2025!
We'd love to hear from you!
And now, let's dive into our weekly workout, where we use futures thinking and product sci-fi to build a future-proof mindset.
To spark your imagination, we'll start with an inspiring quote:
"The future enters into us long before it happens."
Rainer Maria Rilke
As always, we start by linking the story to your personal life, making it more relatable and engaging.
Personal life reflection prompts:
Does manual activity improve your thinking process? What is your favourite combination?
How do you differentiate between helpful automation and excessive convenience?
What 3 aspects of your life would you never want to automate?
How do you support your loved ones’ personal growth paths?
On a scale of 1 to 10, how comfortable would you be to sleep in an autonomous car driving at full speed on a highway? What is the one thing that could improve it?
How do you recognise when to trust your guts?
Good job!
Now, let's focus on the context of the industry, organization, team, service, or product you're working with.
Professional life reflection prompts
Would you use a voice filter at work to correct your mistakes in real time and improve your sound for confidence or clarity? In which 2 situations would it be especially useful?
What is the best way to make an informed decision when you’re on the clock?
In what 3 ways could the shift from traditional resumes to "presentable bodies of work" affect hiring practices and career advancement in your field?
Describe a draft of an effective voice filter use policy for your team.
If automated decision-making could play a bigger role in your organisation, which 3 operational challenges would you prioritise automating?
How do you avoid overthinking when you have access to more and more data?
You did amazing! That’s everything we have for today.
Thank you for expanding your imagination with us. Leaders with bold ideas move our world forward.
Think bright, lead brighter, and see you soon.
Pawel Halicki
Feeling in the zone today?
To continue exploring the near future of lifestyle presets:
If you’re looking for something specific, check the categorised archive to browse all our workouts by the stories’ central theme:
Do you want stories like this in your inbox?
Join strategic imagination workouts that inspire change-makers in market-leading organisations, including Visa, Deloitte, Barclays, UEFA, Nielsen, Morgan Stanley, and many more.