Do you plan for the future?

[Locke]

When I was 20 and people asked what I wanted out of life, I could tell them, right down to the smallest detail. I used to always plan everything ahead of time. Since I gave everything a lot of thought, my plans usually worked out. I knew what I wanted out of life, and I knew how to work for it.

The one thing that I never planned on is what I would do if I lost everything. So when I actually did lose everything.....well, I was screwed. Years of hard work, all for nothing.

Due to recent job interviews and repeatedly being asked "Where do you see yourself in five years?", I've been thinking about it lately. I have no idea where I'll be, and beyond a vague hope that I'll be happy, I don't really care. Its kind of freeing in a way, I feel less burdened. But I also feel lost and directionless, like my life has no meaning.

So what about everyone else? Do you know where you'll be in life five years from now, or do you think it's better to live for today?

 

[duff]

When I was 20 and people asked what I wanted out of life, I could tell them, right down to the smallest detail. I used to always plan everything ahead of time. Since I gave everything a lot of thought, my plans usually worked out. I knew what I wanted out of life, and I knew how to work for it.

The one thing that I never planned on is what I would do if I lost everything. So when I actually did lose everything.....well, I was screwed. Years of hard work, all for nothing.

Due to recent job interviews and repeatedly being asked "Where do you see yourself in five years?", I've been thinking about it lately. I have no idea where I'll be, and beyond a vague hope that I'll be happy, I don't really care. Its kind of freeing in a way, I feel less burdened. But I also feel lost and directionless, like my life has no meaning.

So what about everyone else? Do you know where you'll be in life five years from now, or do you think it's better to live for today?

I try to be realistic, in 5 years I will probably be at the same job and roughly living the same life. (which isn't such a bad thing I suppose) - it isn't the life I expected. I wanted a job in computers but couldn't get one. Taking a job in retail was beneath my capabilities but 20 years later I am still doing the same thing.

I expected (and wanted) a wife and kids, a house and money. Maybe I was naïve, a fool, couldn't see that women weren't interested in me. I soon realized when I was in my 20's. I am not a fool, I know women don't think much of me.

I generally don't think too much about the future. My dreams tend to be about low I can get my golf handicap.

 

[Tiina63]

I think that life is so uncertain that none of us can say where we will be in five weeks let alone five years. We may have all kinds of hopes and planes but then something comes up and throws us totally off course. I think it's good to have ideas of where we hope to be in five years and to work towards that goal but to accept that we could be in a completely different situation than we envisage at present.

 

[Sci-Fi]

Nope, never plan for the future. Everything is just so uncertain I find if you make plans and don't achieve them its only another thing to be depressed about. The only thing I hope for in 5 years is to be alive and in good health.

 

[Locke]

I try to be realistic, in 5 years I will probably be at the same job and roughly living the same life. (which isn't such a bad thing I suppose) - it isn't the life I expected. I wanted a job in computers but couldn't get one. Taking a job in retail was beneath my capabilities but 20 years later I am still doing the same thing.

I expected (and wanted) a wife and kids, a house and money. Maybe I was naïve, a fool, couldn't see that women weren't interested in me. I soon realized when I was in my 20's. I am not a fool, I know women don't think much of me.

But if you wanted to, you could go back to school and learn all the new computer...stuff, and try to get a new job.

I think that life is so uncertain that none of us can say where we will be in five weeks let alone five years. We may have all kinds of hopes and planes but then something comes up and throws us totally off course. I think it's good to have ideas of where we hope to be in five years and to work towards that goal but to accept that we could be in a completely different situation than we envisage at present.

Of course life is uncertain. A plan is no guarantee of sucess, just a road map. I agree with you though, working toward a goal and having an idea of how you'll achieve it is good. Accepting failure is the hard part.

Nope, never plan for the future. Everything is just so uncertain I find if you make plans and don't achieve them its only another thing to be depressed about. The only thing I hope for in 5 years is to be alive and in good health.

But doesn't that at least partly amount to not planning anything because you're afraid of failure? If life is uncertain, then there is always a chance that you'll succeed. Isn't letting fear stop you the same thing as failing?

I appreciate the replies, guys! I'm afraid of failure in my everyday life, and it stops me more than I like. But even without the fear, I'm not very ambitious anymore.

 

[ladyforsaken]

Well I do hope to have some things happen in the next 5 years of my life. But I've had my hopes and dreams crashed before.. so I'm not too keen on planning and putting my expectations too high for it. Just going to hope for things... and see how it all goes from there.

 

[duff]

I try to be realistic, in 5 years I will probably be at the same job and roughly living the same life. (which isn't such a bad thing I suppose) - it isn't the life I expected. I wanted a job in computers but couldn't get one. Taking a job in retail was beneath my capabilities but 20 years later I am still doing the same thing.

I expected (and wanted) a wife and kids, a house and money. Maybe I was naïve, a fool, couldn't see that women weren't interested in me. I soon realized when I was in my 20's. I am not a fool, I know women don't think much of me.

But if you wanted to, you could go back to school and learn all the new computer...stuff, and try to get a new job.

I think that life is so uncertain that none of us can say where we will be in five weeks let alone five years. We may have all kinds of hopes and planes but then something comes up and throws us totally off course. I think it's good to have ideas of where we hope to be in five years and to work towards that goal but to accept that we could be in a completely different situation than we envisage at present.

Of course life is uncertain. A plan is no guarantee of sucess, just a road map. I agree with you though, working toward a goal and having an idea of how you'll achieve it is good. Accepting failure is the hard part.

Nope, never plan for the future. Everything is just so uncertain I find if you make plans and don't achieve them its only another thing to be depressed about. The only thing I hope for in 5 years is to be alive and in good health.

But doesn't that at least partly amount to not planning anything because you're afraid of failure? If life is uncertain, then there is always a chance that you'll succeed. Isn't letting fear stop you the same thing as failing?

I appreciate the replies, guys! I'm afraid of failure in my everyday life, and it stops me more than I like. But even without the fear, I'm not very ambitious anymore.

I did take a lot of computer courses. The only thing I wouldn't do was relocate.

 

[Walley]

if you have no expectations, you cannot be let down!

 

[LeaningIntoTheMuse]

Now I'm starting to. For the longest time, I didn't...I just went with things.

 

[edamame721]

I don't have specific plans for the future, but I think it's good to have a vague idea of certain things you know you want. That way, you can open yourself to opportunities.

 

[Locke]

if you have no expectations, you cannot be let down!

I expected someone to say that! But doesn't having no expectations make things kind of boring?

Now I'm starting to. For the longest time, I didn't...I just went with things.

That's great to hear! I hope you don't mind me asking, but what changed? Are you happier than you were, and so look forward to the future more?

I don't have specific plans for the future, but I think it's good to have a vague idea of certain things you know you want. That way, you can open yourself to opportunities.

You know, a couple other people have said something similar, I'm beginning to think that's a good way to approach things.


I'm sorry if I came off as rude at all in this thread, I didn't mean to. Reading about how other people feel has helped me to understand myself a little better, and why I don't have the ambition that I once did.

 

[LeaningIntoTheMuse]

I guess I didn't really care about my life all that much in my 20's. Now I'm starting to want to be able to take care of myself in my old age.

 

[Walley]

if you have no expectations, you cannot be let down!

I expected someone to say that! But doesn't having no expectations make things kind of boring?

I guess it depends on whether you class being let down as being entertainment?
for me, I started this philosophy while being a self-employed contractor. If I priced a job and expected that 4 guys could do this job in 1 day (based on the time it would take me to do it myself) it seemed like I was constantly let down.
people wouldn't show up for work, or simply not perform as expected, or any number of unforeseen problems would creep up and screw me. so I would then estimate jobs as if I was doing it completely myself. expect that others would be little help to me.. and then if I was wrong it was always a pleasant surprise!

and of course, after being let down by "friends" too many times, I sort of transferred this same concept to them as well.
I am the handyman that everyone calls when they need help. but when its me that needs help.. people tend to think that I can do it all and so I don't need them.
and so for example, when I got a new house and it was time to move, I did it alone. never even asked for help. I made my plan and saw it through.
used my head and some engineering and proud of what I accomplished. I only had one person stop by and help me move 2 large pieces of furniture.

life in general is pretty much the same.
if I am prepared for anything, have competent skills to handle what comes at me.. then I don't really need a plan. I just roll with it and make decisions as things happen and in the long run... I look back and how it turns out and it almost seems like I had a plan!
my work experience has been like that especially. my job history looks like a bunch of stepping stones where each job was an important step that lead to the next job and the sum of them all has made me what I am today. even though at the time, I was just going with what ever seemed like the right choice at that moment.

if you plan too much or expect any particular thing to happen.. you will most likely be let down. it is a natural law I believe.

 

[Peaches]

I guess I didn't really care about my life all that much in my 20's. Now I'm starting to want to be able to take care of myself in my old age.

Muse, you are still young


talking about old age, all my life I was convinced that I would die before 30, like Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin etc, than after 33 it dawned on me that I was probably to stick around a bit longer and that I should make maybe some plans for the remaining years.

 

[Locke]

if you have no expectations, you cannot be let down!

I expected someone to say that! But doesn't having no expectations make things kind of boring?

I guess it depends on whether you class being let down as being entertainment?
for me, I started this philosophy while being a self-employed contractor. If I priced a job and expected that 4 guys could do this job in 1 day (based on the time it would take me to do it myself) it seemed like I was constantly let down.
people wouldn't show up for work, or simply not perform as expected, or any number of unforeseen problems would creep up and screw me. so I would then estimate jobs as if I was doing it completely myself. expect that others would be little help to me.. and then if I was wrong it was always a pleasant surprise!

and of course, after being let down by "friends" too many times, I sort of transferred this same concept to them as well.
I am the handyman that everyone calls when they need help. but when its me that needs help.. people tend to think that I can do it all and so I don't need them.
and so for example, when I got a new house and it was time to move, I did it alone. never even asked for help. I made my plan and saw it through.
used my head and some engineering and proud of what I accomplished. I only had one person stop by and help me move 2 large pieces of furniture.

life in general is pretty much the same.
if I am prepared for anything, have competent skills to handle what comes at me.. then I don't really need a plan. I just roll with it and make decisions as things happen and in the long run... I look back and how it turns out and it almost seems like I had a plan!
my work experience has been like that especially. my job history looks like a bunch of stepping stones where each job was an important step that lead to the next job and the sum of them all has made me what I am today. even though at the time, I was just going with what ever seemed like the right choice at that moment.

if you plan too much or expect any particular thing to happen.. you will most likely be let down. it is a natural law I believe.

It is not about pure entertainment, it's about planning for the future and having something to look forward to. Making plans without at least some (realistic) expectation of success sounds a little boring to me.

Interesting story about hiring the 4 guys, but I think making leeway for people who are less skilled than you is common sense. You also planned the job knowing they were less skilled.

People let you down sometimes. honeysuckle happens whether you have plans or not. But not always. Sometimes things work out, and sometimes people are there when you need them. But only if you're willing to risk it.

I do agree that planning too much or having high expectations can be dangerous. I just don't want to be so afraid of what might happen that I'm not able to look forward to anything. Honestly, that's how I am right now, and it isn't fun. I think I'd like to try for a balance of philosophies posted in this thread.

Thanks for the reply!

 

[Walley]

honeysuckle happens whether you have plans or not. But not always. Sometimes things work out, and sometimes people are there when you need them.

I have also heard that theory.. but unfortunately, I've never seen it happen in reality.
the only person that never lets me down is myself.

 

[LoneKiller]

I do spiritually. As far as stocking up food and medical supplies in prep for Doomsday like many others, I choose not to. When the ultimate end comes, there's no way some underground bunker is going to help.

 

[Runciter]

I don't, I really should I guess. Perhaps I'll plan to start planning for the future?

 

[Locke]

I do spiritually. As far as stocking up food and medical supplies in prep for Doomsday like many others, I choose not to. When the ultimate end comes, there's no way some underground bunker is going to help.

Im not sure whether to take that literally or as a metaphor, so I guess I'll take it as both.

I don't, I really should I guess. Perhaps I'll plan to start planning for the future?

I can't tell whether to take that seriously or as a joke, so I guess I'll take it as both.



I'm kidding. LK, I have great respect for your faith and beliefs. And Runciter.....were you joking? I don't know. That sounded like the confusing type of thing I normally say, only I'm usually not joking.

I gotta go. I'm busy planning on making another thread where I unintentionally offend a few people. I'm planning on not being a jerk someday, if that helps.

 

[Runciter]

Runciter.....were you joking? I don't know. That sounded like the confusing type of thing I normally say, only I'm usually not joking.

Yes, I was joking. But I was also serious, I don't plan even though I know I should.

I gotta go. I'm busy planning on making another thread where I unintentionally offend a few people. I'm planning on not being a jerk someday, if that helps.

I'm offended by your intentions to unintentionally offend people.