We’re back with episode five of A Little Bit Forward — short, five-minute episodes designed to slow you down, unsettle familiar thinking, and create space for better decisions.

In this episode, Simon Waller explores a quiet but powerful habit shaping the way we work and lead: the tendency to treat tomorrow as less important than today. Drawing on the concept of “discounting,” he examines how short-term thinking becomes normalised — even rewarded — in our organisations and systems.

Through a blend of economic thinking, cultural reflection, and practical insight, this episode questions whether our obsession with immediacy, productivity, and the present moment is distorting how we value future outcomes. What happens when urgency consistently outranks longevity? And what might change if tomorrow mattered just as much, or more, than today?

This isn’t about abandoning action. It’s about noticing where short-term decisions quietly undermine long-term impact, and whether our assumptions about time are really serving the work we care about.

Five minutes. One question.A deliberate pause to think differently — and move, just a little bit forward.

We’re back with episode four of A Little Bit Forward — short, five-minute episodes designed to slow you down, challenge comfortable assumptions, and create space for better thinking.

In this episode, Simon Waller asks an uncomfortable question: can doing good work sometimes give us permission to do it badly? Drawing on the public and not-for-profit sectors, he reflects on how purposeful work can quietly lower expectations around effectiveness, accountability, and performance.

Through a personal story and a closer look at the systems and norms around “good” work, this episode challenges the idea that intent alone is enough. If the work truly matters, shouldn’t it demand more from us — not less?

This isn’t about questioning dedication. It’s about examining outcomes, noticing where standards slip, and asking whether moral purpose should drive excellence rather than excuse mediocrity.

Five minutes. One idea.
A small pause to think more deeply — and move, just a little bit forward.