A Never-Ending Now: The School as a Business in an Era of Perpetual Present

Many organizations are trapped in what can be called "the never-ending now" - a state where immediate concerns consistently overshadow long-term thinking and strategic vision. David Perrell writes about a version of the never-ending now in media (what was written online in the last hour crowds out centuries of wisdom), and Jasmine Bina, CEO of Concept Bureau, describes the same thing in branding and marketing. In education, this phenomenon manifests as a constant focus on academic and athletic results, immediate parent and faculty demands, and day-to-day operations at the expense of meaningful innovation and building long-term sustainability.

The never-ending now represents more than just short-termism. It embodies a psychological state where businesses and institutions become so consumed by present challenges that they develop a form of temporal myopia. Like individuals scrolling endlessly through social media feeds—another version of the never-ending now—organizations can become addicted to the dopamine hits of short-term metrics while losing sight of the horizon. Organizations in the education sector are no exception.

This compression of temporal perspective has profound implications. Organizations caught in the never-ending now often struggle to invest in capabilities that do not yield immediate returns or solve existing problems. They prioritize efficiency over resilience and optimization over exploration. Although this approach may enhance short-term performance, it ultimately undermines adaptability in a rapidly changing world and tends to suppress business model innovation.

Breaking free from the never-ending now requires intentional practice. Forward-thinking organizations cultivate longer-term thinking—the ability to consider implications beyond immediate time frames. They balance present demands with future possibilities, creating space for transformative ideas to germinate while still delivering periodic results.

The most successful organizations do not merely escape the never-ending now—they transcend it. They understand that true innovation happens when educational institutions can simultaneously operate across multiple time horizons, addressing immediate student and family needs while cultivating the seeds of tomorrow's opportunities.