Last night we were meeting with our simple church gathering, having a grand discussion as is our wont. Well into the conversation, the question was posed about where each of us saw themself in ten years. After a few responses, I offered a response that a few of us resonated with, and I thought I’d toss it out here.
I am not today where I thought I’d be ten years ago. Ten years ago, I was not where I thought I’d be ten years before that. In each case, it’s a good thing to not be where I thought I’d be. Bearing this in mind, ten years from now, I hope to be where I want to be in ten years — and not where I now want to be in ten years. If you follow me. What I mean is that I want to be in a place that I’m happy to be, and not thinking about someplace I’d rather be… as is normally the case when you try to imagine where you will be, or want to be in ten years. Living in the present, and happy to be there.
I’m with you on that one. I am not even where I thought I’d be one and a half years ago (self-employed). I think of all the speeches I’ve sat through about setting goals and thinking through the steps to attaining them. Not totally without value, but some of the best things in life happened without my planning (including 2/3 of my kids).
May the journey throw us all a few curve balls.