Michael Ashcroft

Photo of Michael Ashcroft

Hi, I’m Michael.

I believe that we humans have qualities that make us intrinsically worthwhile: curiosity, contemplation, the drive to explore our internal and external worlds, the capacity to experience awe.

I’m fascinated by how we can move towards the best versions of ourselves — individually and collectively — and live our lives as fully as possible.

My website is how I let the others find me.

In February 2021 I said goodbye to a ten year corporate and consulting career in low carbon energy innovation to pursue my dream of living a self-directed life as a free agent. In February 2022 I left the UK with my partner to travel the world while working entirely online.

I'm still exploring what this year will look like, but here are some things I'll be playing with.

My past life

My career has focussed on how energy innovation can tackle one of the biggest existential threats we face: climate change.

But I'm not interested in doom and gloom. I want to understand how we can use climate change as a catalyst for positive growth, which led me to doing these kinds of things for work:

Working in the shadow of climate change has focussed my attention not just on how we might solve it, but on what lies beyond it. As Nietzsche said, “he who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” What futures do we want to create that will make solving climate change and other global challenges worth it?

I want to help foster a world where we have the freedom to move towards the best versions of ourselves as individuals and as a civilisation. I love working on this process in myself and helping others on their own paths.

Around the web

I HAVE A NEWSLETTER!

I publish a newsletter called Thinking Out Loud, which chronicles my journey as an online maker of things, but it's also is where I talk about whatever I'm interested in at the time.​ There are around 1500 people there, come play!