“Immerse Yourself in the Future 10 Years Ahead” — Why I Wrote This Book
In today’s blog post, I’d like to speak passionately about the true intention behind writing my book, Transformation Thinking.
Why Did I Write This Book?
Simply put, I wanted to help people pull a future at least 10 years ahead into the here and now.I’ve spent many years in AI and robotics—researching neural networks in graduate school and co-founding a startup. Through these experiences, I’ve continually seen this frustrating gap: technology is advancing at a blistering pace, but people and organizations aren’t keeping up.
Even though we’re at the threshold of powerful AI, most companies remain stuck in the mindsets of “incremental improvement” and “what’s doable right now.” As a result, they often let potentially transformative innovations slip by. Meanwhile, entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley boldly envision a future nobody else has tackled yet. They visualize themselves living in that future as if it’s already real—and then start taking concrete action. Experiencing this firsthand made me realize that genuine transformation in places like Japan will remain elusive unless we fundamentally change how people and organizations think.
That’s where my concept of “Transformation Thinking” comes in. It’s not just about adopting new technology or improving processes. It’s about a mindset shift—boldly picturing the world 10 years (or more) into the future and igniting genuine excitement toward bringing that future to life. That conviction is what drove me to write this book.
The Immersive Power of “MTP”
One key idea I revisit throughout the book is “MTP (Massive Transformative Purpose)”.This refers to an enormous goal or vision to tackle a major societal challenge that stretches at least 10 years into the future. When we look at examples like Elon Musk or GAFA, we see how powerful that approach can be.
Of course, just announcing an MTP won’t achieve much. You need to bring it to life visually and viscerally so that you feel like you’re genuinely living in that future. Once you sense, “I absolutely need to make this future real,” your brain begins to view the present as outdated—and your behavior and decisions naturally shift. This is the core of Transformation Thinking and the central theme of my book.
Breaking Free from “Incremental Thinking”
In the book, I also address why DX (digital transformation) often gets stuck in Japan. The key problem is “the limits of incremental thinking.”Companies emphasize PDCA cycles, risk management, and small-scale improvements. That’s fine for fine-tuning, but it’s not enough to spark fundamental shifts in how the future might look.
Instead, I propose a “top-down immersion in the future combined with rapid, short sprints” approach.For instance, using OODA (Observe–Orient–Decide–Act) while establishing an XMO (Transformation Management Office) with a focused, agile team can bring startup-like speed and passion even to a large organization. That’s exactly what I set out to illustrate in the book.
Rewriting Our “Internal Model”
I also want to highlight the cognitive science perspective featured in the book.Humans operate mostly on the unconscious, or “fast thinking.” No matter how hard we try, breaking out of the reality our brains already “believe” in is surprisingly difficult. That’s why I strongly recommend practices such as “visualizing your MTP and encoding it into your brain” or “creating a Future-Scenario Mind Map to envision multiple aspects of tomorrow.”
I’ve always enjoyed relating how AI learns to the workings of the human brain. I keep asking, “How can human thinking keep up with the exponential rate of technological progress?” Through this pursuit, I firmly believe that merging cognitive science with organizational theory is crucial to real transformation.
Organizational Transformation via Change Management
Naturally, any large-scale transformation requires leaders and executives to truly commit to an MTP and use change management to embed it into the corporate culture. Instead of resigning yourself to “Big companies are too rigid,” there are strategies like “visualizing the existing culture,” “identifying and supporting first-mover teams,” and so on—many of which I detail in the book. By changing your approach, you might be surprised how people can rally around new ideas.
Bringing MTP Into Your Career
Finally, one of my most significant messages is that Transformation Thinking is equally valuable for individuals and their paths. As AI replaces more routine tasks, what do you want to accomplish in 10 or 20 years? “I want to change the world this way and build this kind of future.” It’s not just for CEOs or startup founders.
Thanks to technology, even a single individual has a much better chance to do something that shakes the world. All it takes is putting your big dream into words, visualizing it in detail, and discussing it with like-minded people. Repeating that process reshapes your brain’s sense of what’s “real.” Combine that with genuine excitement, and you’ll experience your transformation.
I wrote Transformation Thinking mainly to encourage more people to feel the power of “immersing yourself in the future” and then reshaping the present. Yes, AI is evolving at an astounding pace—but I believe even more in the power of people’s minds to undergo dramatic leaps. If enough of us share that mindset, who knows how thrilling our world could be in 10 years?
If you want to spark a transformation or aim bigger, I invite you to pick up a copy of the book. Let’s envision the future—10 years or more—and then bring it to life together. Meanwhile, I’ll keep pushing forward in AI, robotics, and real-world social innovation.
The future doesn’t start with, “It would be nice if…” but rather, “It’s going to happen no matter what.”I hope Transformation Thinking is a roadmap for making that vision a reality. Join me on this journey to bring the world of tomorrow into today!
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