“Where do you want to be in five years?”
That’s not always the most helpful question when it’s time to set goals.
Sure. It can be great to know where you want to be in five years, but that’s often not enough. A temptation is to try to draw a straight line from where you are now to that five-year goal, and then constantly work to align your progress with that expected path.
But while straight-line paths are the shortest distance between two points, they’re not always the fastest path. And they don’t always produce the best outcomes.
You’ve probably seen the example of the ball rolling downhill on either a straight or curved track. The ball following what’s called the brachistochrone curve gets to the end faster, even though it travels a greater distance. Or consider how probes and other space missions chart their courses to use the gravity of multiple planets to accelerate while conserving fuel.
In a career journey, this may look like alternating between management and individual contributor positions, much like the Parker solar probe circled the sun and Venus multiple times. It may look like my career did, with a similar level of leadership responsibility over vastly different departments and responsibilities, giving you a broader range of experience to apply to your future endeavors. It may even mean completely changing careers several times.
However your path looks, don’t stress over what appears to be a detour or even a backwards step. As you continue to pursue your long-term goals, keep your eyes open for the side trails that, much like the planets in space travel, will infuse new energy in your journey.
If you’d like to talk through what your specific journey look like, visit stevedwire.com/connect for a complimentary conversation.
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