Plans vs. Life
Why successful career planning isn’t about perfection, but staying open to the twists and turns life brings.
There’s an old Yiddish saying, “Mann Tracht, Un Gott Lacht,” which translates to “Man plans, and God laughs.”
I was recently asked to take part in a blog’s career profiles section and one of the questions was about strategizing for our career growth. I at once thought of this saying.
Even though I’m not a believer, this phrase resonates with me. I’ve always been someone who loves having a plan. Ever since I was a kid, I would write down goals and draw important milestones that I wanted to achieve.
It gave me a sense of direction and control, but over time, I’ve learned that planning for the future is more of an exercise in being disciplined than creating an actual roadmap.
In terms of career strategy, I am a good example. Despite all my planning, my career path was shaped by an event that was completely unplanned.
At the end of my fourth year in college, I stumbled upon a career fair one weekend. At the time, I had no idea where I would be working after graduation, but I had ideas about going into IT. The friends I was with wanted to look around, so I wandered aimlessly, not expecting much.
I struck up a conversation with a smiley HR representative from Ernst & Young (EY). Believe it or not, I had never even heard of EY or the Big Four before, even though I was studying economics and finance.
A month later, I was working there, and I ended up staying for the next four years. So, despite all my plans and strategies, it was a random encounter that completely changed the course of my career. With the risk of sounding as cliché as it gets, it was a lesson that life can throw opportunities at you when you least expect them.
However, even though life can be unpredictable, I’m still a big supporter of always having a plan. There’s something motivating about setting goals and thinking about where you want to go, both in your personal and professional life. For me, having a plan helps me stay focused and grounded. Or maybe it’s just me, I don’t know!
With time I’ve realized that instead of creating strict, rigid plans, it’s best to think of them as flexible guidelines. They’re there to motivate me and give me direction, but I know things can change. Life is full of unexpected twists, and the journey often leads to places we never would have thought of. And that’s the fun of it – sometimes those detours bring you to more exciting and fulfilling destinations. And sometimes they don’t. Which is all part of the rollercoaster of ups and downs we call living.
My approach for the past 10 or so years is to have an annual plan and a long-term vision. The annual plan is more actionable – things I want to do within the year. This could be a new skill I want to learn, a course I want to take, or a project I want to complete at work. And I keep this very simple. I structure it as a list of 5-7 items and put it on the fridge as my new year’s resolutions.
The long-term vision is a bit different – it’s way more abstract. Where do I see myself in five years? What kind of work would I like to be doing? Where do I want to be in my personal life? How about in 10 years? I don’t really write the vision down (although I’m very visual so maybe I should). But I like pondering on it in the shower and trying to visualize how life would look in the future.
I think one of the biggest challenges when it comes to planning your career (or life in general) is realizing that no matter how much you plan, things won’t always go according to your schedule. There are just way too many variables outside of our control. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t plan, but it does mean you need to be flexible when things inevitably change.
When I think back on my own experience, I can’t imagine where I’d be if I hadn’t gone to that career fair. I certainly didn’t plan it, but it turned out to be a major turning point for me. And it largely shaped my career path and, by proxy, my life.
The frustrating part is that we can never know if another path would’ve been better or worse. That’s why it’s so important to learn to be content with our life choices. I try to avoid having doubts about the past, as it rarely leads to anything positive.
So (another cliché coming), think of your career as a journey. You’re moving in a general direction, but how you get there might change along the way. Be open to the idea that your goals might evolve, and that’s okay! Growth often comes from experiences that weren’t part of the original plan.
When I started my first job, I didn’t know that I’d stay there for four years or where that would lead me. But looking back, it was an incredibly valuable experience, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Did I plan it? No. Did I grow and learn from it? Absolutely.
If you’re someone who, like me, loves to plan, here are a few tips to keep in mind when thinking about your career strategy:
Create an Annual Plan: Focus on short-term, achievable goals. What do you want to do in the next year? Be specific and realistic.
Have a Long-term Vision: This is more about where you see yourself in the long run. What kind of work will you be doing? Where will you be living? What will your personal life look like? Think of this as a motivational experience.
Stay Open to Change: Remember that things don’t always go as planned. Sometimes opportunities come from unexpected places, and that’s okay. Be ready to adjust your plan if something new and exciting comes along.
Reflect Regularly: Every few months, take some time to reflect on your progress. Are you moving toward your goals? Do your goals still align with where you want to go? It’s okay to change your plans as you grow and learn more about yourself.
Enjoy the Journey: It’s easy to get caught up in the idea of “achieving” something, but don’t forget to enjoy the process. Every experience, planned or unplanned, is part of your journey.
I am starting to feel more and more like a wish.com motivational guru, so let’s try to wrap this up.
Having a plan is important – it gives you direction, motivation, and a sense of purpose. But life is unpredictable, and no matter how much you plan, things can and most certainly will change. That’s why it’s essential to treat your career and life plans as guidelines rather than rigid structures.
I’ve written this newsletter for almost a year now and plan to continue doing so. Thank you for sharing it with friends and colleagues. This is the main way for me to reach more people who might find value in what I have to share, and I really appreciate all your support.
Till next week!
Best,
Dobri 🍃