Where Do You Want To Be In 5 years? (Reflection on effective goal setting)

Someone asked me this question few days ago; Chika, where do you want to be in 5 years?

I’m sure the person is probably going to hate me from that day because my answer was not nice at all. hahaha

I answered that, “I did not understand last year, I’m still trying to understand & navigate this year. Am I Jesus Christ that I would know where I’d want to be in five years from now? I don’t like nonsense joor.” laughs

I made a joke out of it because I was pissed by the question in the first place. I just didn’t want to sound rude or ignore the person asking so I made light of it.

So let me ask you the same question; Where do you want to be in 5 years?

Relax

Breathe

Take a chill pill

Don’t be in a haste to answer the question

This is not a question you can just answer with anything that comes to your head.
Like; I just want more money, I want to be rich 5 years from now, I want to have my own house 5 years from now, I want to travel to Dubai etc.

Often times this is a question that would take a lot of deep thinking. A question that should be reflected upon for better goal setting.

No one truly knows where they want to be next week because the future is uncertain. They only know the things that they can control. In setting those goals, the question you should ask yourself is; have you made room for the things you cannot control?

This is the problem I have with this “where do you want to be in 5 years” question.

It is not realistic and it is often not achievable.

How can your answer to the “where do you want to be in 5 years” question be more realistic?

By following these goal setting steps;

Step 1

Picture the Big Dream.

Now let’s use my big goal as a case study. I have this inner intense dream of working with Caprisonne Nigeria one day in the future. Maybe as a brand strategist or creative writer or anything. I love caprisonne, in fact I can’t do without it and I believe in that piece of sweet product so much. (I’m sure all of you know this by now) So working with them would be a dream come true.

I also want this blog to birth hundreds of undiluted unfinished stories of people from different part of the world. Whilst training young people on creative writing and storytelling. As well as publishing a fiction novel and several self help books & inspirational books.

That’s the picture of some of the dreams and goals I have. It’s important you picture the dream as many as they are and don’t loose that picture.

Step 2

Don’t time frame the big dream.

The problem with the “where do you want to be in 5 years” question isn’t that the question is wrong. Its just that a lot of things can go wrong after asking this question.

The first wrong thing is that this question disregards the beauty of time in the fulfillment of your dreams.

Why 5 years? Why put a time to it? The question should be “Where do you want to be in the future?” Not in 5 years. Five years can come and nothing would happen. Yet, fifteen years can pass by and everything you ever dreamt of starts manifesting.

Its just like setting a deadline to your goals. And that leaves no room for the supernatural. No room for the miracles heaven has proposed to happen. No room for the events beyond your control.

Instead of beating yourself towards achieving that 5 year goal that may not happen due to reasons beyond your power. Why not give yourself the freedom to enjoy the process as you work towards that goal. And embrace it when you get that breakthrough whether it happens now, seven years from now or ten years from now.

Step 3

Set smaller achievable goals and fix a deadline if you must.

When you have a picture of the big dream, and you’ve understood that setting a time frame limits the ability for your dreams to bloom fully, and leaves you in a terrible state when it doesn’t happen during that time frame, then the next step is to set smaller achievable goals that you can pilot on your own terms.

Let’s use our case study again.

Like I said earlier one of my big dreams is to work with caprisonne and there is no need putting a time span to its fulfillment because now I understand that, I’m not the owner of caprisonne, neither am I the controller. So its beyond my power to secure a huge spot with them just because I wish to.

But here is something I can do; by setting smaller achievable goals I can position myself properly to earn their recognition. I can also build my influence around the heartwarming bond I have with caprisonne. And even if I don’t end up working with them I’d still win because I’ve built a strong community and influence around what I love.

Do you now see why setting smaller achievable goals are important?

After setting those small goals, fixing a deadline around it becomes more realistic and more achievable.

I can easily say I’d want to be a published author in the next 5 years. Now thats more realistic! Because its totally in my power to achieve that. All I have to do is start the book and be consistent at it.

You can easily say I want to acquire two landed properties at Golf estate Portharcourt in the next 5 years rather than saying I want to own the entire golf estate in the next five years.

Before screaming aloud where you’d want to be in 5 years, make sure you understand the principles of goal setting, reflect on what you truly want, to avoid welcoming unnecessary pressures and tension. And prepare adequately. The place of preparation can never be overemphasized.

I’d rather you answer “where you’d want to be in the future” question than where do you want to be in 5 years.

I hope you get the message.

Your turn; where would you want to be in the near future? I’ve told you mine already drop your answer in the comment. You never can tell, someone may be watching closely.