58. Create a 5 year plan

I've been in enough organizations that are obsessed with goal setting, self-assessment, and step outlining that I am well aware of the "5 year plan".  You know the exercise, "Close your eyes and imagine it's the year blah blah blah, where do you see yourself..." etc.

My usual response?  I have no idea.

After my recent traveling and catching up with friends and relatives, this question seems to pop up again.  No one is hounding me but just out of general interest people get curious if Mark and I want to stay in the big city, if we want to do this, if we want to do that.  Again, my answer is, "I have no idea."

For a long time I felt really scared that I had no idea.  I've always had some sort of idea of what my next move was and, of course, my age also lent well to that.  I knew after high school I'd go to college. Pretty early on in college I knew I wanted to do TFA or at least Urban Education.  After a year or so in the field, most of my friends made their decisions and went on their next phases....while I did not.

Some E Cards always know how to say it perfectly, ha!

That's why this goal made it's way on to my list in the year 2010.  I felt I needed to get busy figuring out my next steps.

But I didn't and I don't.  I have changed a lot in this way- where I'm okay with not really knowing where the next few years will take me.  I think the step I'm on is pretty fantastic and challenging.  I'm not ready to move on and who says I ever have to?  Mark and I are making it here and loving NYC.  Our jobs are crazy and probably not sustainable but that's all part of it.

I definitely doodle in my journal and write out daydreams about if I did "xyz" in 2013, then I could do "abc" in 2014, and then in 2017 I'll be 32.  Hmmm.  I'm still plenty ambitious with big dreams and short term goals.  I am a planner by nature and always have clear cut schemes.  I'm not someone just aimlessly wandering through this life.  I'm just taking it one year at a time.

What would I like in the next five years?  Well the first things that pop into my mind are better balanced with work, start grad school, travel, an apartment with a dishwasher, and laser hair removal.

This might not be the five year plan I can share at my organizational meetings but it sounds ok to me :)

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