Five-year plans are cute

I was sorting through one of my anti-minimalist memento boxes the other day and came across a mind map of an old five-year plan. A wave of nostalgia came over me and I was transported back to myself at that stage. It really is remarkable how paths change. At that time I was preparing for a career in the life sciences and was aiming to do a PhD in genetics, immunology or molecular biology. (I ended up completing my undergraduate degree in biotechnology and microbiology before being allured to the broader business worlds and leaving research be.) I was also thinking about investing in property, something which I’ve put on hold for now. And it’s humorously interesting to see the opening of the Australian Synchrotron factored into my life!

Nowadays, I don’t make five-year plans. Even two-year plans for that matter. I have a rough idea of of where I’d like to be, and prefer to navigate opportunities and choices as they arise. I am yet to decipher if this is indicative of the pace and structure of society today, or merely representative of my life stage. Financial planning is obviously an important activity, but career planning? If the average length of time a person spends at one employer is on a steady decline, do we need to adopt a more agile approach? Will leave that thought with you…