Where will you be in five years time from today? Have you given that much thought?
Although I personally do not think about this very often I do know that when I do sit down and contemplate the distant (or not-so-distant) future it impacts me very deeply.
I believe the direction that much of my life has taken is the result of some of these significant moments where I have asked myself the tough questions and sought out wisdom from friends, family, and God.
What might fascinate you though is that this capacity to dream has been one part natural and the other part developed. You see, as a child I dreamed of new worlds and realities all the time, especially around solving problems that no one appeared to care about or do anything about.
Although my capacity when I was a child was limited to what I was aware of and capable of doing I was always looking to do something better, faster, and more efficiently. This sensibility was systematically beaten out of me as I walked through the educational systems and institutions that told me that there is a process and a “proven” method to nearly everything.
In other words, there are fewer and fewer opportunities for innovation. Why not just assume the existing methodology and trust that it was the best one available?
Although I lost the capacity to dream I never lost my desire to do so.
What I’ve discovered as I spend time coaching others is that one of the greatest gifts that I can give to others is not only the permission to dream but the tools that enable them to dream with infinite capacity.
There is no greater and tangible reality than what is today, but most of us stop right there and do not even dare to dream about an alternate. Tools that I use, including things like Action & Influence and our unique methods, help in those areas.
I love assisting others in casting vision for themselves. I see the sparkle in their eyes return, the hope of a much more fulfilling and incredible future, and I get to say (somewhat selfishly) that I was a very small part of their story.
And I don’t mind being forgotten as long as I get to see some of the results. God-willing, I’ll share in their victories and successes, even if it’s from a distance and from the back of the stands.
Where will you be in five years? Is is the same picture that you have today or is it something better? I want to hear your dreams!
[via XKCD]
I definitely need to be thinking in this direction. You get so caught up in projects, deadlines, surviving one thing to start the next, keeping from going nuts when multiple deadlines strike at the same time… it’s hard to stop and think about the ‘next 5 years’. I’ll be 54.5… it’s not something I can keep putting off!
Great post John.
While it is true that the education system beats the dreamer out of us, it is our calling as parents to keep the dreamer alive in our children. I also love to see the lights come back on in people. I pray for people and ask God to rekindle the dreams that He gave them. So many people have forgotten their dreams or have decided that they can no longer achieve them, so they give up in favor of the security (or insecurity) of a paycheck.
Personally, I’m not sure I believe in 5 year plans. Now, that isn’t to say that I don’t think having a 5 year vision is good. The difference being in the level of specifics. When I’ve seen most people talk about where they want to be in 5 years it is something pretty specific like being the VP of “X” department in the company they work at or having $10M in personal assets or having a company that is doing $50M in sales. The problem is, you can’t possibly know all the variables that will play out in 5 years. You may not want to be a VP in 5 years because you’ve learned the family sacrifice it would take to do that. The market may crash and all your money is gone in 2 years so $10M in assets isn’t possible.
A 5-year vision is different. It isn’t what I want to have or have accomplished but who I want to be. In other words, I want to have the skills, experience and presence that any company looking for a VP of “X” department will be able to easily find me and see that they’d be lucky to have me. It’s “I want to develop the disciplines of rigorous budgeting, financial education and a great financial team around me in order to have the best possible opportunity to achieve financial freedom in my lifetime.”
The difference leads to something that a person can largely control and achieve. I can work with conviction and persistence on achieving the vision even if during the process my circumstances change underneath me. And in the end, achieving the vision creates the environment that makes achieving the destination possible. Maybe even eminent.
I gave up on five year plans a long, long time ago…after God changed them every year it kinda seemed pointless.
I’m kind of hesitant on 5 year plans also. God seems to have something for me, I believe it, but not sure when or how.
I’ve shared with you before John (maybe 2 years ago – wow so much time has past), how I went to med school but for some unknown reason, I wasn’t able to pass all my boards. I tried for 6 years or so multiple times, even after graduation. I finally started to think God was saying no (still hope he’s saying – later).
I have an x ray AAS degree now, for a much lower position than I had ever thought I’d be in, but I felt God gave me a desire and love for medicine that has overridden my whole life, position, money, or otherwise.
Now that I have attained that new degree though, God gave me an opportunity to move back to NY for a job this past 2 months from Chicago but it turned out the job still has me on a sort of waiting list. So after all these years, I’m still not working. (but everyone is having a tough time finding a job)
Thinking of expanding my skills yet again and get a MRI certificate from Sept to January 2013. I’ve already gotten my position in that program.
I’ve been kind of down though. I have always felt I have been doing what God has wanted me to do yet I don’t seem to get the blessings I see you and all my friends getting as far as life and career. I don’t seem to be getting anywhere.
I know God’s will may not be for everyone to get what they want, only what He wants, and it should be “what is good,” but it’s getting tough. I guess that’s what sparked my comment.
I left Chicago in the same (personally) unaccomplished state as I arrived there in so many years ago for medical training. Now I’m still eagerly awaiting His will with no idea if I’ll even have a job in 5 years.
I don’t know what to think sometimes but I always believe, believe something blessed is coming. So, now I have yet to find a church I feel comfortable in (where are all the adults in Brooklyn? all congregations seem to be filled with kids – which I am happy about for the kingdom), I have no friends in the area at this time, but i do have family, which is something I haven’t had in years. But I also have just enough money left to take me through the next few months.
I’m still trying, I guess that’s what’s important right now. I’m just throwing this out there because in some ways for some people, plans don’t work. Should you still have one?
What else should I be doing? What else can I do? Suggestions?
I know your beliefs too John and I hope you don’t mind me posting this here.
I kind of went off topic but the 5 year plan sometimes, the 10 year plan sometimes, doesn’t work, when it doesn’t, it can be devastating to a person.
Hey, Ken. I’m wowed by your ability to stay the course this long. That is a testimony on its own to your persistence and desire.
But this is such a complex issue that would be impossible to explain much less solve here. So even though I know this doesn’t solve anything I just wanted to let you know your determination is very admirable.
Thanks, I really appreciate that … I am trying to do my best … the hardest part is that through hard work and through His leading, I’ve learned so much … it’s hard to believe that I haven’t been able to be used yet with all my skills. I know it’s complex though. I visited a Christian Counselor twice in the past and had a neurology doc I rotated with prescribe me some anti anxiety meds once when I was really going crazy. The counselor seemed to cost so much even with a discount that I was thinking of going into that for a while ha ha. It actually was easier and cheaper to get medication !
Anyone know if there are any Christian counselors who donate their time or work online or over skype? Weird question to ask I know, but it sure would be helpful on days like today. I’ve helped ppl with my stories of my trial though, even some who have continued onto become full doctors … my first instinct is to say darn, they passed with my help, what did i do wrong?! (the human side of me) but then I wise up and I’m glad for them. One’s a neurologist now too, where I wanted to be. God is so strange sometimes. But He’s also good, all the time (as the saying goes).
Back to John’s original question, where do I want to be in 5 years? Where God wants me to be. Hopefully though it’s where I can sustain my family and I without help.
I think that the 5 year plan can go either way, but the person has to have the motivation you had. I think life is so fragile because such small decisions can have a huge impact. I like to think about where my life may have ended up if I chose path A instead of path B. And to me these paths are not even significant, it can be as simple as choosing to eat in a cafe that you never have before. By making that choice, life went in an incredibly different way than if you had not stopped at that cafe. Your wife or children may be strangers on the street if you change one decision in your life. Incredible! God has it ultimately in control and guides my life, but looking back I could see how small decisions may have led me on an entirely different path. This fragility boggles my mind.
I totally agree. I made that post above you, and although it’s very discouraging in some ways, I can say by not passing my boards, I got stuck in Chicago where I met the love of my life who just happens to be from New York like me and by next year, she’ll be back here for good as well (she’s an optometry student in clinical training). If I did pass my boards, I would have probably moved away and not have met her. Sometimes, I laugh in wonder “if” that was one of the reasons I am where God has put me.
Very interesting question.
A few weeks ago, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you. Now, I can tell you, that in five years from now, my book will not only be published, but into something bigger than a book.
Instead of committing to a 5 year plan, I think of an ideal life style I want to achieve. The decisions I make today I try to keep in line with my goal and eventually amount to my life dreams and goals.
I have just started a few blogs (you are one of the people I got inspiration from
and i want to see myself as an established blogger after 5 years… and I am going to graduate next year so It would also be great having a good job 
I want to be on top of blogging………