Why is imagining a positive future crucial for progress?

In a world of uncertainties, crises and change, imagining a positive future is a crucial strategy to transform adversity into opportunities. It mobilizes creativity, resilience and innovation to forge sustainable strategies and has been linked by academic research to well-being.

History shows that hopeful visions have been the driving force behind profound transformations, with researchers pointing to the reconstruction of Europe and the reinvention of Singapore as examples. Let's examine some of the ways in which science and philosophy have addressed this issue.

Philosophy has been used to examine hope not as mere desire, but as a transforming force. Diverse thinkers have offered insights that enrich our understanding of the power of hope to bring about change.

The German philosopher Ernst Bloch, for example, defined hope as an "anticipatory consciousness" that connects the present with future possibilities, driving social change and commitment to concrete utopias. Gabriel Marcel highlighted hope as an act of trust that strengthens bonds and fosters solidarity in difficult times and Friedrich Nietzsche recognized that, despite nurturing illusions, hope stimulates the creation of new values and personal transformation. Hannah Arendt linked hope with freedom, promoting action that generates transformative processes. More recently, Byung-Chul Han distinguished between passive optimism and active hope, with the latter capable of transforming reality.

According to all of these perspectives, hope drives action, creativity and the collective construction of a sustainable future. It inspires us to mobilize society towards change.

Psychological and neuroscientific sciences have shown that projecting a positive future influences our behaviour and well-being by affecting emotional regulation, decision-making and resilience to adversity.

A 2010 study showed that positive thinking helps to reinterpret challenges, reducing stress and improving mental health. This reinforces the effectiveness of seeing the future with optimism.

A study published in 2016 revealed that future-oriented self-affirmation activates brain systems linked to self-referential processing and rewards, enhancing the ability to overcome obstacles.

A 2023 study found that students with a more developed vision found that students with a more developed vision of the future show greater academic commitment, underscoring the importance of defining clear goals and cultivating a future-oriented mindset.

A 2006 study showed that the brain imagines positive events more frequently than adverse ones, revealing a natural inclination towards optimism that encourages action and change. Similarly, a 2013 study found that future-oriented thinking generates remarkably positive attitudes, consistently reinforcing the human predisposition towards hope.

A 2021 study linked activity in the anterior cingulate cortex and inferior frontal gyrus with the anticipation of favourable events, supporting the idea that imagining positive futures modulates our emotional and cognitive state.

A 2018 study concluded that activation of the medial prefrontal cortex during positive scenario projection is associated with greater well-being, establishing a direct link between imagining desirable futures and quality of life.

These studies cemented the importance of cultivating hope and optimism to improve individual performance and social cohesion.

Mental simulations of positive futures are essential tools for human and organizational development. It has been argued that imagining favourable scenarios improves planning and encourages strategies to face challenges — and that these exercises activate cognitive and emotional mechanisms, driving action and developing effective plans.

While positive scenarios are vital for identifying and leveraging opportunities, we must also not underestimate the role of negative scenarios, which are indispensable for anticipating and mitigating risks. This preventive approach can transform into a creative process that enriches the design of policies, strategies and educational programmes. Thus, a vision that integrates rational rigour with emotional inspiration can serve as a key driver for fostering innovation and progress across various future domains.

Imagining desirable futures is indispensable in today's global environment, with complex interconnections and challenges. Positive narratives drive large-scale initiatives — climate agreements, energy transitions, technological innovation — aligned with the 2030 Agenda and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Here are five key reasons for adopting a positive outlook:

Focusing solely on negative futures leads to fear and resignation, while imagining positive futures inspires hope and actively empowers people to work for better outcomes.

Positive scenarios highlight the need to build a sustainable legacy that benefits current and future generations. As pointed out by the Oxford philosopher William MacAskill, we have an ethical responsibility to leave a legacy of progress and sustainability.

Taking an optimistic view stimulates imagination and innovation. It allows you to identify opportunities and resources that might go unnoticed, catalyzing new partnerships, technologies and disruptive models.

Recognizing threats is essential, but focusing solely on them can generate a defensive mindset. Integrating positive futures makes identifying opportunities even in adverse contexts possible, facilitating resilient and informed strategies.

Designing shared narratives that point towards a desirable future contributes to uniting governments, companies and citizens around common goals. Researchers have suggested that these visions act as strategic guidelines, fostering social cohesion and reducing internal conflicts.

In a world of crises and accelerated change, philosophical, psychological and neuroscientific evidence demonstrates that imagining positive futures is not utopian, but rather the key to transforming reality. Projecting desirable scenarios balances risks and opportunities, driving action and innovation. Leaders, academics and citizens must integrate these strategies into their policies and visions, as history teaches that dreaming and acting opens new paths towards social transformation.

Each simulation of a positive future becomes a compass for sustainable progress. With rigour and passion, let us transform hope into the engine that drives our progress towards a just world.