Core tool
Three Horizons
hold three futures at once
what it is
Hold three futures at once
A simple way to look at the world as it is now, the world you want, and the messy transition in between — all at the same time. It stops you either defending the present or chasing the future in isolation.
H1 fades as the world changes; H3 grows; H2 is the bumpy bridge between them.
the three horizons
The three horizons
Horizon 1 · now
Horizon 2 · transition
Horizon 3 · future
capture
Map your horizons
Horizon 1
What we need to change. Our assets and our priorities today.
Horizon 2
What we will start, continue and stop.
Horizon 3
Where we want to be — resilient, by design.
how to use it
Work the horizons
Map Horizon 1
Name what's working now and what's already declining. Be honest about what's fading.
Picture Horizon 3
Describe the resilient future you want — specific, not a slogan.
Work the transition
In Horizon 2, decide what to start, continue and stop to bridge the gap.
Choose where to act
Pick the few moves that matter most — then make them concrete (try backcasting from H3).
resilience
Why this matters
Three Horizons is the backbone of the prioritise-and-plan step: it turns a maturity assessment into a path, and a preferred future into things you can actually start.
Anticipating possible futures · Preparing for uncertainty · Adapting by design · Responding with confidence — Three Horizons holds all four modes of the cycle in one picture.