Welcome to The Future Is How: Explorations on Creating Your Better Tomorrow—a podcast that invites you to actively shape the future with practical insights and inspiration. Hosted by Dr. Frederik G. Pferdt, author of What's Next Is Now and first and former Chief Innovation Evangelist at Google, Frederik shares insights on building a future-ready mindstate, drawing from his experiences training the brightest minds at Google, Stanford, and beyond.
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Harnessing the power of beauty to create a life-centered future | Tim Leberecht
Season 1 · Episode 1
Friday, December 27, 2024 • Duration 01:05:24
How do you envision the future—yours, ours, and the planet’s? Join me, Frederik Pferdt, in the first episode of The Future Is How, as I sit down with Tim Leberecht, the founder of the House of Beautiful Business, to explore how beauty can inspire connection, reimagine the future, and help us live more meaningful lives. Together, we discuss why it’s time to value all life—including AI—and how moving beyond human-centeredness can address some of our biggest challenges.
In our conversation today, we explore the following topics:
• Why you shouldn’t limit yourself to one vision of the future
• Exercises in cultivating intimacy inspired by the artist Marina Abramovic
• Attributes of beauty and how to find it
• Practices for strengthening your imagination muscles
• Why Tim is optimistic about AI’s role in our future
• The cost of human-centeredness and the case for valuing all life
(03:40) A sneak preview of the future Tim (first version)
(06:24) A sneak preview of the future Tim (second version)
(09:06) Lessons from Marina Abramovic’s art
(14:37) Tim’s practice of “silent dinners”
(20:41) The transcendent power of moments of beauty and awe
(23:15) Attributes of beauty—and why intimacy and attention are key components
(26:25) An exercise in attention and fostering intensity
(27:22) A moment to pause and reconnect
(31:50) Applying the lens of beauty to the future by imagining lives we haven’t lived
(37:15) Getting started with practices to create the future you want
(47:28) How AI might be used for beauty and connection
(48:10) What shifted Tim's perspective on AI, making him more optimistic
(50:22) Human-centeredness vs. life-centeredness
(57:20) A case for beauty as a source of connection and peace
(59:20) How Tim wants to be in the future
(1:03:15) Frederik’s final thoughts
Music: Andreas Horchler
Art Design: Stefan Schuster, Dino Hohos, Flo Dietrich
Production: Jordan & Adam Bornstein
How inspiration shapes our lives and drives our decisions | Adam Galinsky
Episode 7
Saturday, March 22, 2025 • Duration 47:32
Inspiration is more than a feeling. Its´ an active force that fuels creativity, leadership and change. Today, Adam Galinsky joins me. Adam is an expert in Leadership, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Adam is a Professor of Leadership and Ethics at the Columbia Business School.
Among his many publications, he co-authored "Friend and Foe", a book exploring the science behin collaboration and competition. His latest book is "Inspire-The Universal Path for Leading Yourself and Others". Here, Adam explores the science of inspiration, how to find it, to develop it, and to use it.
In this episode, we talk about the origins and the power of inspiration.
•The spark of inspiration-becoming more inspiring
•Inspiration at the crossroads of creativity and usefulness
•Inspiration? Listen to your children
•Inspired travel
•Wood and water: Natural inspiration
•Variety helps
•Different people, different times, different needs
•Inspiration today, boredom tomorrow?
•The Copenhagen lesson: Improvisation and embracing vulnerability
•The mindstate moment by the ocean
•The universal continuum: Vision Example Mentoring
•The big picture energy: optimism counts
•Inspiration is daily work
•REIP: Reflect Emulate Intend Practice to become a more inspiring person tomorrow
•Too much clam chowder? The power in making things more scarce
•You can make things better: Look out for possibilities
Enriching our lives and work with the power of storytelling | Kalle Ryan
Saturday, March 8, 2025 • Duration 59:28
In today’s episode of The Future is How, I am thrilled to be joined by my friend Kalle Ryan. Kalle is an award-winning writer, poet, and founder of Poetic, a creative consultancy dedicated to crafting compelling narratives, solving communication challenges, and unlocking creativity for organizations of all sizes.
Before founding Poetic, Kalle refined his storytelling and communication skills at Google and Meta. At Meta, he led internal communication strategies that connected employees globally through creative content. At Google, he drove Cloud9, EMEA's innovation hub, launching initiatives to foster employee creativity.
In our conversation today, we dive into the captivating world of creativity and storytelling, covering topics such as:
• What sparked Kalle’s love of storytelling
• The tale of "Bringing Batman to Work"
• The pivotal role creativity played in propelling Kalle’s career to new heights
• Viewing the world through a creative lens
• A creativity practice inspired by Pam Houston’s concept of "glimmers"
• Using your creativity to live more intentionally
• The essence of great storytelling: making people feel
• Building human connections through stories
• Kalle’s perspective on AI tools and why he remains optimistic for the future of creatives
The Power of Vulnerability: How Owning Your Mental Health Creates Strength | Newton Cheng (Google)
Season 1 · Episode 5
Friday, February 21, 2025 • Duration 36:29
In today’s episode of The Future is How, I sit down with my friend and former colleague, Newton Cheng, the Director of Health and Performance at Google. Newton is passionate about guiding leaders through skillful conversations on mental health—a topic he's deeply familiar with.
After experiencing burnout, Newton took a mental health leave from his role at Google. Upon his return, he openly shared his journey instead of concealing it behind the term "sabbatical."
In our discussion, we explore the significance of embracing vulnerability in the workplace and delve into key topics such as:
• Destigmatizing mental health struggles through openness
• Expressing vulnerability in a way that fosters safety and trust
• Why finding balance in your life isn’t always what feels good
• A mind state moment aimed at improving by 1%
• Newton’s morning routines, including non-judgmental reflection and writing morning pages
Harnessing the power of imagination to create a better future | Lisa Kay Solomon (Stanford)
Season 1 · Episode 4
Friday, February 7, 2025 • Duration 56:06
In today’s episode of The Future is How, futurist Lisa Kay Solomon joins me. Lisa is a designer in residence at the Stanford d.school. Lisa focuses on bridging the disciplines of futures and design thinking, creating experiences like “Vote by Design: Presidential Edition” and "The Future’s Happening" to help students learn and practice the skills they don’t yet know they need. At the d.school, she teaches classes such as Inventing the Future, where students imagine, debate, and analyze the 50-year futures of emerging tech.
In our conversation today, Lisa emphasizes the importance of being future-forward and leveraging our imaginations to shape a better world. We explore topics such as:
• The value of developing a ‘futurist’ mindset, and strategies for long-term thinking
• How to expand your perspective by engaging in wider learning and learning from others
• The games, approaches, and activities Lisa uses to help her students visualize the future
• Lisa’s work with Vote By Design and how a futurist approach allows us to build a better world
• Why Lisa leans into curiosity and openness
• A mindfulness practice engaging your imagination to visualize your future in five years
The secret to a long and happy life | Dr. Robert Waldinger (Harvard)
Season 1 · Episode 3
Friday, January 24, 2025 • Duration 42:30
In today’s episode of The Future is How, I explore the topics of relationships and happiness with Dr. Robert Waldinger. He is a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development at Massachusetts General Hospital, and co-founder of the Lifespan Research Foundation.
He is also a Zen priest and co-author of the book, The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness.
In our conversation today, we talk about the following topics:
• The surprising finding from Dr. Waldinger’s research about connection’s impact on longevity
• What social fitness is, and advice on how to practice it
• Why you should try talking to a stranger and tips for getting started
• Dr. Waldinger’s daily practices that promote health and happiness
• Tips for building better relationships and the best way to make new friends
• How to maintain connection and stay positive in our polarized world
How to improve your sleep to boost productivity, cognition, creativity, and mood | Dr. Els van der Helm
Season 1 · Episode 2
Friday, January 10, 2025 • Duration 58:29
In this exciting episode of The Future is How, I am joined by Dr. Els van der Helm, a leading sleep neuroscientist and adjunct professor at IE Business School. Dr. Els is a trusted advisor to CEOs and organizations worldwide, helping them unlock better performance through improved sleep and well-being. In our conversation today, we do a deep dive into the science of sleep and its transformative effects on your life and work and discuss the following topics:
• Why skipping sleep won’t boost productivity
• Quality vs. quantity: What matters most
• How aging impacts your sleep
• Two strategies to break the sleep deprivation-stress cycle
• How to use gratitude to fall asleep faster
• Why your late-night brain might mislead you
• Morning routines that set the stage for a good night’s sleep
“Zukunftsgeist”—or Future Spirit—is not only the German title of Frederik’s book What’s Next Is Now. It became a living, breathing movement during his Zukunftsgeist Tour across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
But this wasn’t your typical book tour.
Instead of classical readings, Frederik invited people into a shared experience—to ignite their own future spirit. And it worked. The response was overwhelming: after each event, participants didn’t just ask for a signature—they leaned in, saying things like “I’m starting my future right now.”
“I didn’t expect a book event to move me this deeply. It wasn’t just inspiring—it felt like a wake-up call from my future self.”
“For the first time in a long time, I feel like I have permission to imagine a radically better future—and the tools to start today.”
From intimate conversations to standing ovations, people across three countries wanted more than inspiration—they wanted transformation. And in this special episode of The Future is HOW, Frederik himself steps into the guest seat to share the stories, surprises, and soulful moments from this extraordinary journey.
He’s interviewed by Andreas Horchler, the journalist, music composer behind the podcast theme, and producer of this very show. Recorded live in Frankfurt, they reflect on the power of presence, possibility, and what happens when optimism becomes contagious.
In this episode:
3:25 Future Bio: Frederik on leaving a legacy as an ambassador of possibility
6:55 How to prepare body, mind, and spirit for a 19-city tour
9:00 Voices from Frankfurt: What meeting Frederik meant to guests
11:04 From moment to movement: Creating a new mindstate
15:22 Charge the car, charge yourself: Finding strength on the road
Time to Grow | Angela Pferdt
Season 1 · Episode 11
Monday, June 2, 2025 • Duration 38:56
In today’s episode of The Future is How, it's all about growth, from plants to the inner self. And we have a more than special guest: Angela Pferdt. Coming from a background in finance, today she is a Healing Artist, a Reiki Master, a Master Gardener, and she is Frederik's wife, in Frederik's words: one of his greatest teachers. Frederik and Angela spent decades together, building a home and raising three children. “Home is where I grow”, says Angela. This time The Future is How comes straight from Angela's and Frederik's home in the Santa Cruz Mountains, an exchange of experiences, thoughts, callings, insights, and more than that: their future, like a walk together we all can listen to.
Today, we talk about: • The power of Reiki and how it helps to become more present
• Plant based medicine and how psychedelics can help opening up and finding love and answers inside • Long standing myths on psychedelics • How gardening and personal growth are deeply interconnected
• Finding patience and presence
Where to find Angela Pferdt: https://www.santawoodz.com
How Asking Better Questions Unlocks Your Future | Marc Champagne
Season 1 · Episode 10
Friday, May 16, 2025 • Duration 44:55
In today’s episode of The Future is How, questions take center stage. Questions shape our futures much more than we believe in everyday life. Marc Champagne, author of “Personal Socrates” and podcast host of “Behind the Human” is a pioneer in mental fitness, who explores the practices of brilliant thinkers, visionaries, and high-impact performers. He trained thousands of professionals to gain clarity in momentsthat matter. The next big disruption, Marc believes, will not be technological, but psychological.
In our conversation today, we talk about: • What if the future is more about asking the right questions than having answers • Navigating the between world of constant anxiousness • Being present, preparing for the future • The mental gym: Training your future-muscle • Career, calling and happiness • The right questions to ask yourself to shape your own future
Where to find Marc Champagne: Website: https://www.mchampagne.com/ Podcast: https://www.mchampagne.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-champagne-%F0%9F%A7%A0%F0%9F%92%AA-14767b17/ YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@behindthehumanpodcast
A bi-weekly newsletter designed to help you meet your future—1 powerful question, 2 new perspectives, and 1 simple experiment to try. A pause. A spark. A next step.
(00:00) Intro (02:57) Angela's future bio: Who Angela is becoming how she's building a future around Reiki, energy work and plant medicine, and becoming more present (05:50) Reiki and being present (07:17) How Reiki works (08:29) Angela's journey to Reiki (10:28) Energy & Healing & Well-being: Why people are coming to Angela's Reiki studio (13:05) The journey guide: Plant medicine and digging deeper solving crises (17:45) The integration phase: Life completely different, opening up, the answer inside, and love
(20:53) Plant based medicine: Is it for me? (23:00) Time to grow: It begins in the soil
(25:11) A Mindstate Moment with Frederik (28:14) Growth and Gardening: Nourishment, minds and communities
(29:35) Psychedelic myths: Breaking addictions instead of creating addictions
(32:06) It's not exclusively about trauma or seeing colors: Psychedelics can break patterns, accessing the unconscious
(33:54) Patience and presence: How her children benefit from Angela's work
(36:10) Words of encouragement: if you can imagine it, you can achieve it, if you can dream it, you can become it.
Music: Andreas Horchler
In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Intro (04:18) Marc´s future bio: A bridge from ancient wisdom to today´s challenges (07:15) More ease, more grace, more confidence: Navigating the anxious between-world (12:42) Being in the present, preparing for the future: What our minds need (15:29) The mental gym: The 30 second reset (20:24) Feeling alive: High performance beyond numbers (25:30) Career and calling: Happiness and meaning (27:28) The most powerful question: What am I pretending not to know? (31:55) What if it were possible: replacing doubt with optimism (34:24) Zen master lesson on ANT´s (Automatic Negative Thoughts): Are you certain?(36:39) A Mindstate Moment with Frederik (39:22) When you are stuck: What does your mind need most
(41:30) Starting the day on your terms: Breathe
Music: Andreas Horchler
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