Be More Pirate, Build the Future | Sam Conniff

Today on The Future is HOW, Frederik sits down with Sam Conniff – bestselling author of Be More Pirate, social entrepreneur, and creator of Uncertainty Experts, the world’s first science-based immersive program designed to help people navigate change with courage and creativity. In this conversation, Frederik and Sam explore what it truly means to live and lead in uncertain times. They uncover how breaking rules can be an act of purpose, why discomfort is the birthplace of creativity, and how rewriting the stories we tell ourselves can unlock deeper connection and meaning. Sam shares his personal experiments around masculinity, courage, and vulnerability, revealing why the most radical thing we can do right now might be to stay open when everything feels unknown. Frederik connects this to the Future Ready Mindstate, showing how curiosity and courage can transform uncertainty into a creative force. By the end of the episode, you’ll see that uncertainty isn’t something to survive — it’s something to use. The only certainty is that there is uncertainty. The question is: what will you create from it? In This Episode: Why breaking rules can lead to meaningful conversations and real innovation How uncertainty is an experience to feel, not a problem to fix Why creativity and conformity are natural opposites The emotional science behind courage and change How asking difficult questions opens new possibilities Why children make the best pirates — and what that teaches us about the future Chapters 00:00 Intro 02:32 Nail polish, masculinity, and social experiments 08:27 Call to action: Be More Pirate 13:46 Rulebreaker’s playbook: innovation in business and life 21:01 Children are pirates: curiosity as courage 22:25 Anything certain? Understanding uncertainty as an experience 27:17 Built by change: uncertainty as our future coach 38:49 Mindstate Moment: overcoming a rule responsibly 43:07 Sam’s future bio: fear, hope, and making a difference 47:08 A rule to break: stop holding on to one story 48:53 Experiment: ask a difficult and necessary question Where to Find Sam Conniff: Website: samconniff.com The Uncertainty Toolkit (book): Pan Macmillan Be More Pirate (book): BeMorePirate.com Where to Find Frederik G. Pferdt NextLetter – ⁠⁠https://www.nextletter.frederikgpferdt.com⁠Book: whatsnextisnowthebook.com LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram | frederikgpferdt.com