A year ago at this time I was working with my coach to decide what my next career step would be. One of the most useful things she had me do was think about and write down how I wanted my life to look, but it didn’t start with a year from now. Nope, it started with 10 years from now, then 5 years, then 1 year.
For me, this was backwards of how I normally planned, but her reason made sense. When you plan for 10 years out you automatically tap into your intuition. And when you start with one or five years out then your brain can logically determine where you will probably be, but 10 years out is harder for your brain to predict.
Want to try it? Think about 10 years from now. What do you want be feeling? What do you want to be doing? What do you want to have? What does a normal weekday look and feel like? And weekend? Then repeat for 5 years out and 1 year out. Each one is a step to the next one.
I did this exercise and I could answer all of the questions except what I wanted to be doing. However, answering the questions gave me a good feel for the types of jobs that would be a good fit. I saw myself working from home, setting my own schedule and making a difference in people’s lives in a way that I got to see and not just imagine. It didn’t tell me exactly what I would be doing, but it gave me a framework to start with.
Perhaps you’re not trying to figure out your next career step, maybe you’re looking for something else. About five years ago I would have done this exercise and saw myself in a full time job, but there were other things I was searching for: fulfillment, spiritual connections and meaningful friendships. I bet if I would have done the exercise then I would have placed myself in a future with those things. Working through this exercise would have given me a framework to work with and goals to plan for.
Try this exercise for yourself and let me know one goal you want to accomplish in the next week as a result.