Many top companies from just a few years ago no longer exist, while many are on “death watch” according to organizations like Forbes and Havas Media Group. One of the ways that an organization can increase its likelihood of being around a decade from now is to understand the trends that will shape the future – from post-demographic consumerism to longboards – and be prepared for them. A person who is very helpful for future-proofing organizations is called a “trendspotter” and this article lists the six traits of trendspotters.

Futurists like Ben Schiller, entrepreneurs like Jessica Alba, and comedians like Demetri Martin are all examples of trendspotters. Their powers of observation, analysis and big-picture thinking predict what people will need in the future and also inform us how such things will probably be hilarious.

Do you consider yourself a trendspotter? If so, then you are probably…

Curious

If being more interested in the world around you (and its people) is more important than being known to your friends as “interesting” or “cool” then trendspotting might be right for you!

For trendspotters, curiosity comes naturally, as do the powers of inquisitiveness and investigation. Your thirst for knowledge drives you to better understand what makes people, ideas and communities work. Every now and then people find your pursuit of information “annoying” or “super-nerdy” and, to be honest, such accolades/detractions come with the territory when you are trendspotting.

Connected

I have awesome music on my playlists because of my community, not because I knew about The Shins and Mint Royale before you did. My friends Teresa, Margaret and Meghan introduced me to cool music like my friends Rodney, Alex and Theo keep me informed about trends at the intersection of people and technology.

As a trendspotter, you are light years ahead of the curve because of your entire community, not just what’s in your brain.

Organized

All the informative nuggets within all the big data relating to the world’s coolest idea is nothing without organization.

Trendspotters manage social channels, downloaded articles, meetings, and scribbled or sketched observations of the world exceptionally well. However your brain works, create a filing system for the thousands of ideas you will collect in your quest to decide whether that thing you keep hearing about is actually the thing that will revolutionize the world!

Skeptical

Everything is awesome. But not really when it comes to trends, which are exercises in survival of the fittest idea.

To identify a legitimate trend, many cool ideas are understandably dismissed from the selection process. As a trendspotter, you often unleash unrelenting bouts of disbelief and criticism with the noble intention of testing a could-be-trend’s true potential.

Weird Nerdy Creative Different

Having a unique perspective – or, ideally, the ability to adopt multiple perspectives – is essential to understanding if a thing is the next big thing.

Thinking the same as everyone else will probably not inspire you to recognize an idea or product for its mass-appeal before it crosses the tipping point. Trendspotters can be nerds (enthusiasm for a certain thing, like football or Star Wars) or hyper-creative (artistically pioneering the next, next thing) or just plain weird (“Look, guys, I rolled-up my cord pants,” said Kurt six-months before the New York Times fashion editor said it was cool). Whoever you are, be sure to practice thinking differently than everyone else.

Constant

Trendspotters are always “on”. Because curiosity cannot be turned off and your network never shuts down.

This trait isn’t to be confused with a lack of balance in your life. More accurately, trendspotters are always noticing stuff and thinking about it. Such observations can happen on a hike, while watching TV, during play time with your child, or right before you fall asleep.

Thinking about that thing you noticed earlier today and whether or not it has the potential to be the thing that changes peoples’ lives will never stress you out. Because you’re a trendspotter and this is how you live!