The adjacent possible is a kind of shadow future, hovering on the edges of the present state of things, a map of all the ways in which the present can reinvent itself… [the adjacent possible] captures both the limits and the creative potential of change and innovation.— Steven Johnson (Smith, 2010)
I offer an adjusted term: future possible.
Isn't it all the same?
Yes and no.
My thoughts center around our primal instincts. I believe that humans are simple animals with simple hopes - find safety and avoid threats.
We find safety in the belief that through our actions we can create a change that benefits us and those like us. "If we go into the river and be still, maybe we can catch fish to eat."
A more modern example.
"My community leaders want to abandon the music program in favor of football investments (the threat). Many members of the city, like myself, love our music program (people like us). If I start a pledge drive (story of now) to save our music program so that people have a changed attitude about music's value in their kid's lives while supporting sports (the future possible, the change we want to see, and safety packaged together). "
Through our belief that starting a pledge drive would save our music program, we created a call to action that will, hopefully, lead to a safe result for ourselves and our community. This belief is the future possible.
As a Leader - You believe in a future possible for your tribe. You hope that our actions will create a result that leads to our safety. You know how to inspire us to create it.
The belief you have, not yet realized, is our future possible.