Non Obvious Megatrends: How to See What Others Miss and Predict the Future (Non-Obvious Trends Series)

Is the name already in use or well understood? Is it relatively simple to say out loud in conversation? Does it make sense without too much explanation? Could you imagine it as the title of a book? Are the words in the name unique, not clichéd or generic? Does it describe a topic in an unexpected way?

Great trends reflect a moment in time, but that moment is never fleeting, and the basic idea is more elevated. Good trends always focus on the shift in an underlying human behavior or belief. They don’t describe a single interesting story or a hot new product or industry.

Naming is the art of describing a collection of ideas in an accessible and memorable way.

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START A FOLDER. I keep a folder on my desk to store ideas written by hand, articles pulled out of magazines and newspapers, printouts from the Internet, brochures from conferences, and print ads with intrigue. The physical folder helps me to visualize the ideas and (as you’ll notice from the photographs) serves as a fundamental element of how I cur

A trend is a curated observation of the accelerating present.

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Gathering is the disciplined act of collecting stories and ideas while taking notes of why they are interesting.

FOCUS ON INSIGHTS. Taking notes by highlighting passages in a book doesn’t work if you highlight every sentence. Don’t try to summarize everything about the article or idea; instead focus on what made the idea memorable or any insights you had at the moment you saved it. ADD LABELS. Use “note boxes” to make your notes easily skimmable. Write a few