I have started seeing a lot of “the future of _____ is _____” articles recently. Figuring out what’s happening over the horizon is a healthy exercise. Studying patterns and trends in any field can help one make an educated guess about what happens next and where you should take your business.

In looking at the horizon and figuring out your next steps in any project, make sure you don’t lose track of where you are standing. The future is seductive and the present is often chaotic or messy. To connect the present with an emerging reality, you need to have a good sense of what’s happening now in order chart your course to the future. This is why context is important.