Future

Objectively, the future does not exist until it becomes the present. Nevertheless, the future plays a crucial role in the personal philosophies of many people. Although it has not yet appeared, we often have some idea of what might happen — whether this is well-considered or somewhat vague.

If we view life as a journey, the future represents the points along our path that we have yet to reach. How we perceive this untraveled part of our journey, whether we view the future as real or not, and whether we believe our route is predetermied or shaped by our actions, varies from person to person, according to their own individual philosophies.

To illustrate different attitudes toward the Future, nautical metaphors are particularly suitable, with each type of relationship being likened to a role on a ship: Captain, Helmsman, Stowaway and Passenger.

The Captain (I. Future in the Target Aspect, Goal)

For the Captain, the future is a realm of self-realization. Charting his life’s course is his and only his responsibility. The Captain doesn’t believe the future will unfold on its own; ‘trusting the waves’ is not his strategy. He always keeps one or more future destinations in mind. This doesn’t necessarily involve a detailed plan — rather, the Captain forms a vision of what should happen to him or his endeavors in the future, whether near or distant, and where he ultimately needs to 'sail.' He then moves towards this vision. The vision can be meticulously detailed or broadly 'sketched,' realistic or idealized. The crucial point is that the captain uses this vision as an anchor, a guide, a beacon — it provides him with strength and motivation.

To the Captain, the future is almost tangible, real. The vision of his future that he constructs in his mind is more convincing to him than his actual past capabilities. Consequently, he is extremely reluctant to change his long-term plans; even under pressure from circumstances, as this would disrupt his sense of reality.

The Helmsman (II. Future in the Creative Aspect, Tool)

For the Helmsman, the future is perceived differently. For the Helmsman, the future is viewed through a creative lens; it is not a goal but merely a tool for achieving it. They do not focus on meticulously shaping a vision of the future, instead leaving it open to numerous life paths and possibilities. As their interests evolve, they readily adjust their long-term plans and navigate through uncertain periods with ease when circumstances hinder planning.

However, envisioning the fate of a ship with a helmsman but no captain is easy. The Helmsman can keep the ship on course but is primarily a tactician rather than a strategist. The future doesn’t impose specific demands on the Helmsman, and questions like 'Where am I headed?' aren’t central to their approach. Aligning their life with a long-term goal is more challenging for them.

The helmsman’s approach is observant and patient, monitoring changes that might affect their future and responding as needed. They tend to trust the natural course of events, confident that they will notice and address any threats to their future in time.

The Stowaway (III. Future in the Vulnerable Aspect, Criterion)

For the Stowaway, the future is experienced as a source of anxiety and discomfort. They often feel vulnerable and powerless when facing future. It is not the future that depends on them; they depend on the future. Opportunities and prospects — the key elements for shaping the future — become criterion of their quality of life and significantly impact their self-esteem. Essentially, the Stowaway lives under the constant pressure of an intimidating inner critic who always asks: "Where are you going?", "Are you doing enough?", "What is your contribution to the future?"

Being constantly judged is challenging and unpleasant. This very attempt to avoid judgment, the avoidance of the criterion, is what defines a person with a vulnerable Future as a 'Stowaway.' In their misguided strategy, the Stowaway minimizes their impact on the future — they do nothing to avoid making things worse. They hope the future will unfold on its own and turn out favorably. However, the Stowaway cannot fully escape what lies ahead, which only heightens their fear — the primary negative emotion tied to future.^[1] This fear often manifests as an exaggerated fear of death or aging.

To combat this fear, the stowaway needs to focus on meaningful actions that genuinely change their life. Not through superficial activities or excessive planning — common traits of Stowaways — but through real, impactful contributions to the future. By doing so, the inner critic may begin to offer positive evaluations.

The Reader (IV. Future in the Blind Aspect, Resource)

A Passenger typically struggles to understand how they can influence their future. According to their philosophy, the future is an objective reality that happens to them, rather than something they actively participate in. If you ask a Passenger how they see themselves in a year, you might get a detailed answer, but the next day, that answer could be entirely different — their future is too ephemeral and unreal for them to keep in mind consistently.

Imagining a desired future event and determining the steps to achieve it is a challenging task for a Passenger. They might understand what needs to be done as a first step, but deeper planning requires more effort. When faced with making decisions about the future, they tend to procrastinate, hoping to bring the future closer to the present. Often, passengers don't consider the future worth thinking about extensively. "Why think about it if it will happen on its own?" — this is the passenger’s logic. For them, the future is a resource, a bargaining chip; by not dwelling on it, they free up energy for other aspects of life.

References:

[1] — Role and Aspect models