Tough (Question) Tuesday: What does your most successful future look like?
I’ve never been one for 5 year plans, but lately I can see a few of them - an urban version, a wildly optomistic version, a realistic verstion, a simple version. But this Tuesday’s question asks:
What does your most successful future look like?
Guess we’re going with the wildly optomistic version. Join me in the Comments section to hear about my successful future & share your own!
Click here for all the installments of Tough (Question) Tuesday.
Tags: Tough (Question) Tuesday
January 27th, 2009 at 8:16 am
As I wrote a week or so ago (http://is.gd/fRzX), "I’ve never been a person who had a 5 Year Plan (”Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” was my most nerve-wracking question when I was looking for work in 2007), but now it’s crystal clear: buy a home, have a rugrat, be a successful full-time coach, spend more time with those I love, cultivate a lasting relationship with Luke, and feel like every breath I take is full of passion, balance, love, fullfillment and happiness."
To expand on that, my most successful future would be:
* me, being able to work – no thrive! and support my family! – as a full-time coach while being able to perform when my heart/body tells me it's time
* Luke, having the space to make furniture (or whatever else he wants) and time to make movies, while being a "manny" (yes, I told him he's not a "manny" if he's taking care of his own kid(s))
* owning the perfect home in the perfect city – one that doesn't wipe us out financially, but allows us space (and stairs! Luke wants stairs) and air and culture and water nearby
* making sure there's time and energy to be with, and give back to, those we love. Thankfully, there seems to be many friends & family members we want to spend time with, that we get love and support and energy and laughter from.
* being able to maintain the romance, the respect and the support that is my marriage
Sometimes it seems like this would only happen in a dream, while other times it feels closer than I'm comfortable with. I know it's within my means to make it happen.
January 27th, 2009 at 8:26 am
Hey…my wildly successful future (maybe possible within five years???) is one where I have a home base with my bf (who will in my vision by then be my hubby) somewhere in nature but w/easy access to cultural amenities of a decent sized town.
I am earning enough to cover all my expenses via my creative pursuits including jewelry design, art/photography & my other online ventures and do not have to work outside the home.
I have the freedom to create what I want and enjoy doing so in various artistic media.
And I am also able to finance travel to many many places. Ideally bf will join me on many of these trips.
January 27th, 2009 at 8:28 am
Thanks for the forum and post. I just got done prepping for interviews late last year. When I researched interview questions, that "Where do you see yourself in 5 years" question really made me laugh. Here's why: 5 years ago, I has no kids and was teaching writing and poetry, going for tenure. Now, I have four kids and design elearning for the Federal Reserve Bank. So, yeah, a little change. But how many times can such as thing as having twins happen to a guy?
Maybe I can predict the next five years with some accuracy? History would disagree. In each of my 37 years, I have not been good at predicting the future. Harummmph. I'd like to think I'd get better at it, but I believe people fall into three categories: Future-focused, In the Moment (now), or Relies on the Past. Some folks might be a little of all or a mix of two, but I think I am all about now. Often, I can't even plan a weekend!
January 27th, 2009 at 8:41 am
My favorite part of this is that I know you both (whenIgrowupcoach and Eric Matas) and that you somehow found each other!
January 27th, 2009 at 8:48 am
Hi Laren! Twitter did it. I found her on Twitter. I blame every thing so far in 2009 on Twitter…like when I slipped about that dating/marriage show with the potential groom you were watching (I won't mention it again though).
January 27th, 2009 at 8:50 am
Tammy – What a great vision! I know you've hit a bit of a roadblock lately with getting where you need to go, but you seem to wear many hats – I know you'll find your way! I too would love to travel more, but I think that's in my "older" future. My Mom & stepdad used to take a "big" trip every year, and when I'm in my 50s I'd love to do that. If I could swing it earlier, great! Luke & I might put the wheels in motion for a cross country trip in the next year or two, though….
Eric – I'm jealous that you, more often than not, get to live in the moment! It's what I would strive for as an actor but rarely achieve in my life. I have so many goals on so many levels it's hard for me to stop and just "be" (as hippy dippy as that sounds). And with all of your unexpected additions in the last 5 years (4 kids in 5 years! Leapin' lizards!) it's even more of an accomplishment. Would love for you to share how that works for you.
Laren – Seriously, who don't you know?
January 27th, 2009 at 8:57 am
Sorry Eric, you're going to have to talk about it again. Side conversations on someone's blog without them knowing what the heck is going on is not allowed
January 27th, 2009 at 9:49 am
I grew up with Laren in lovely Pelham, NY. She got our mainstream school to dance to the Cure for one of the school dances. Well, there were 4 or 5 of us dancing anyway…while the rest waited for Tone Loc.
The first 3 kids were all planned, but that 3rd one decided to be 2 — identical boys. They turn one on Feb 5th. How we got through this year??? Um, yeah, pretty much my wife did it all. She writes about at http://everydayis2sday.com where you can see pics of her trying to blog with 4 kids climbing all over her. She's amazing. My fathering style can be seen on our other blog: http://blog.mindfieldblog.com/ (scroll down to "4 EZ Games for Dad").
January 28th, 2009 at 10:34 am
Everydayis2sday is puntastic! I heart puns.
Honestly, my stepbrother has beautiful twin girls, and every time I'm with them I look at my husband and say, "Two tops! One at a time." But obviously we have no control over that. I go so far as to say to wait until the first one goes to college and THEN have the next! Not sure we can swing that, though
Your blogs look great though, Eric – thanks for sharing and commenting!
I'm still waiting on the story about the dating/marriage show with Laren's potential groom, however…….:)
January 30th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
I commented on http://sweetblogomine.com/ after Laren had admitted on Twitter that she couldn't stop wathing The Batchelor. I "let it slip" about the Batchelor in my comment…"a little bird told me…" kind of pun-tastic. So I kind of mentioned it again here…even though I said I wouldn't. Oops.
February 1st, 2009 at 5:20 am
Ah, gotcha. Honestly I thought it would be much juicier than that, so hopefully Laren will be less embarrassed! I'll make sure to keep that to myself though…..