In life, as in chess, forethought wins.
Charles Buxton
If you want to reach your long-term goals, try to visualize yourself ten or fifteen years from now to determine the steps you will need to take to get where you want to go.
Job interviewers frequently like to ask job applicants, “Where do you see yourself in five or ten years?” They want to know that the applicant has long-term goals and if he or she has thought seriously about developing a career. They know that having long-term plans is often a good indicator of probable future success.
By having a vision of what you want to do and where you want to go in the future, you increase your chances for long-term success. You provide a roadmap and a timetable to keep yourself on the right track. You also provide yourself with checkpoints on your progress that will help guide you in creating useful revisions of your goals as you move forward in your career.
Getting Personal
TRUE or FALSE TEST
- I am now where I planned to be at this time in my life. True/False
- I know where I will be in two years. True/False
- I know where I want to be in five years. True/False
- I know where I want to be in ten years. True/False
“A man who does not plan long ahead will find trouble at his door.” (Confucius, ancient Chinese philosopher)
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” (Eleanor Roosevelt, first lady of U.S. from 1933-1945)
For more on planning in life:
**** Top of page image (Plan Ahead), from Valley.d51 schools.org
