The Longpath Mindset

Good morning & happy Wednesday.

Last week I recounted my experience walking 30 miles in silence and mentioned the new start-up I began working with.

This week, we’re going to dive into the mindset that unconsciously inspired both of these decisions and might help you move through the uncertainties of 2022.

Let’s jump in.

The Longpath Mindset:

Ari Wallach is a futurist, educator, and founder of Longpath Labs– a think-tank for sustainable systems change. After hearing Ari interviewed on the Rich Roll Podcast, I’ve been obsessed with his work and the Longpath philosophy.

In short, Longpath is an antidote to short-term thinking. A mindset that “cultivates future conscious behavior by drawing upon insights from the latest science and oldest wisdom traditions,” as he describes.

His book “Longpath,” outlines 3 fundamental pillars to this mindset, summarized below:

Futures Thinking:

Have you ever noticed that nearly every future-based story is based in some sort of dystopia? Whether it’s “Avatar”, “I Am Legend,” or numerous others, there seems to be a widespread societal narrative that shows humanity ending in apocalypse.

When we think about the future, consciously or unconsciously, we likely borrow elements from what is known as the “Official Future,” or a shared set of assumptions about what’s going to happen years from now.

Whether the assumption is dystopian or otherwise, “Living with a radically open future is cognitively exhausting,” wrote historian and scholar Nils Gilman; “people carve a sense of certainty about the future, which is precisely what the Official Future is meant to provide.”

We want to have a vision of the future we are moving towards, no matter what outcome. There is stability in certainty.

Uncoupling these social narratives about the future from the future we actually seek to cultivate is absolutely imperative. Instead, the Longpath mindset encourages us to think creatively and open the dialogue around what futureS we’d actually like to create.

Multiple, different, futures are currently possible, hence the plural “s” on the back of futureS. Which of these possible futures we step into depends on the choices we make, collectively.

Transgenerational Empathy:

This idea has been on my mind for awhile now, even though I didn’t have the words for it.

About a year ago, my girlfriend told me about the Seventh Generation Principle— an ancient Iroquois principle that suggests that the decisions we make today should consider and be of benefit to the world, seven generations in the future.

Can you imagine how companies' decisions might shift if they considered their impact seven generations in the future? And not simply their upcoming earnings release?

Moreover, in his TedTalk about overcoming short-term thinking with Longpath, Ari Wallach makes a fascinating point about the limits of most historical & current philosophy.

Every single one of the great philosophers across time— Plato, Aristotle, Kant — all use one single lifespan as the unit of measurement for a good life.

Similarly, nearly all personal development material is centered around what can be done in the present or immediate future— growing as a person, building community, serving others, etc. Rarely is the idea of future generations mentioned.

We are fortunate to be in a time in which reversing generational trauma is beginning to enter the conversation, but we sure have a long way to go.

In short, what we do now impacts generations down the road.

Keeping those future descendants in mind can expand how we think about problems, inform how we move in the world, and, ultimately, dictate the futureS that we are co-creating, together.

Telos:

Telos, the Greek word for ‘final cause’, answers the question “To What End?”

What is the purpose of the actions you are taking? What is the mission you’re here for?

Telos is the why behind what we do.

When we use telos in the grocery store, it leads to us voting with our dollar and making healthy food choices that nourish ourselves and our loved ones.

When we use telos in business, it gives birth to companies such as Patagonia, Dr. Bronner’s, and Gardyn, which are working to create a healthier & more sustainable future.

Thomas Kuhn, an American science philosopher who is known for introducing the idea of paradigm-shift once said, “People don’t shift unless they know and have a vision of what they’re shifting to.”

It’s no surprise that there’s a lot of uncertainty going on in the world right now. Personally, I’ve struggled with anxiety, especially of the existential nature, when sorting through the feelings surrounding these unknowns.

This idea of Telos, and the Longpath philosophy has gifted me an incredible toolkit in connecting to a future that I’m committed to moving towards.

If we don’t imagine & build the future - who will?

How Longpath (Unconsciously) Impacted Me:

Let’s be honest… walking 30 miles in silence across 12 hours was by no means fun. It was challenging, tiring, and during many instances, more boring than watching paint dry.

So why do it?

In short, I took this on for the sake of challenge, knowing that uncomfortable situations often yield impactful growth.

“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek,” as author Joseph Campbell once said.

Similarly, I was low-key terrified about entering the start-up world during my recent job decision & transition. The company I used to work for was a well-oiled health insurance machine. There were instructions and deadlines for everything, and I could complete my weekly responsibilities in less than 20 hours per week. On paper, it was super chill and well-paying. A great opportunity, by some standards.

But internally, I felt it was not where I wanted to be spending my time.

See, in my perspective, health insurance is operating in an inefficient system. An outdated paradigm, if you will.

Pharmaceutical and insurance companies are making money hand over fist, while the health of the American population is declining by the year. For example, the prevalence & cost of chronic disease in the United States is growing and will continue to grow, as shown in the table below.

Our current system works great at resolving issues & emergencies— say, a car accident— but still struggles in helping people maintain sustainable health.

My own health journey has shown me that exercise, nutrition, sleep, and mindfulness are fundamental pillars to personal health, and moreover, that personal health is integral to societal health.

How can a society be healthy if we ourselves are not?

This is precisely why I decided to leave my cushy health insurance job and step into a role at a start-up focused on at-home hydroponic gardening.

Imagine a Keurig for vegetables… that’s how I think about Gardyn.

We were recently voted the Best Freestanding Indoor Garden Kit by MensHealth Magazine and will be featured at next week’s White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health.

I’m immensely grateful to be working for a company that is committed to building a healthier & more sustainable future. Next week, I’ll share more about the mission at Gardyn and what the actual benefits of vertical farming are.

In Conclusion:

How you care for this moment - right now - matters.

In a cool way, what you do in this moment matters more for the future than it does for the present. We’re all co-creating the future(s) that we’ll eventually live in (God willing).

So why not embrace the Longpath mindset and build a future our descendants love?

If you’re still reading, I appreciate you deeply.

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Wishing you a beautiful week & weekend ahead.

And remember— think Long.

With Gratitude,

Aidan