A quote by Andy Warhol:

“They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.”

Time, in itself, does nothing. It can be used as a mechanism to facilitate progress in certain processes. As humans, we’ve learned to see it as a tool, for instance, to capture moments.

Broadly speaking, there are three key moments: the past, the present, and the future.

The Past

The past is a mountain of completed events. We can no longer change or redo it. Among the many unusable items in that mountain, there are also invaluable experiences. Some things we’ve identified as mistakes or inefficiencies, and from them, we’ve learned how to approach similar situations better in the future.

The Future

The future lies in imagination—the things that might happen, the things we expect to happen, or the things we hope for.

What’s remarkable about the future is that, unlike the past, we can influence it. But how?

NOW!

Now is the right moment. The present is the moment to be mindful of. The future begins by anticipating in the present—shaped by desires, expectations, predictions, and the right actions, all informed by past experiences.

The results of our actions will contribute to the mountain of the past. Perhaps your actions will be meaningful; perhaps they won’t and will quickly fade from memory. But one thing is certain: we’ll keep anticipating.

Anticipation: The Key to the Future

Anticipation is the key to shaping the future. We must learn to anticipate and help each other do so. By anticipating more consciously, we’ll be better prepared for the next now.

Innovation doesn’t happen tomorrow—it happens NOW!

Maarten Meijer — working from an Evolutionary Perspective.
A conceptual thinker who helps make sense of what is already unfolding, working at the intersection of systems, education, and technology.
I explore and articulate possible directions without fixing outcomes too early.
I shape space for reflection, orientation, and choice — so what wants to remain can develop further.

In daily life, I work as Program Manager EdTech Ecosystem at NOLAI (the National Education Lab for AI).