Is it time we let go of the 10-year plan?

From a small girl with small goals.

Here’s the truth.

There’s an empty space where my answer to the question ‘where do you want to be in 10 years?’ should be.

I draw a blank every time someone asks me about my career goals.

I envy people who knew what they wanted to do in their teens. Who picked out their classes, chose a degree, and decided on a career path with complete conviction.

Most of the magical career moments I’ve had have come as the result of serendipity. Making a chance connection, in a chance place, on a chance day.

I worry about leaving life to chance. I find solace in control, but I have no idea how to manufacture the serendipity that has served me for so long.

When you’re unsure about the direction of your career, people tell you to ‘find your why’. They smugly point you in the direction of that famous Simon Sinek talk, confident that 20 minutes on YouTube will ease your burden.

It never does. For me, ‘why’ is only the beginning. It’s the ‘what’ I’m more concerned with.

Let me explain. Here are some whys:

• Why… Because ethical fashion should be accessible to all

• Why… Because I believe helping people is the most valuable thing I can do

• Why…Because stories foster connection

‘Why’ matters. These are all valid ‘why’s. But the thing about ‘why’ is, it requires a ‘what’. Here are some examples of ‘what’s:

• What… Using waste materials to make t-shirts

• What…Providing therapy for people who have mental illness

• What…Writing an email newsletter about your changing relationship with work

You’ll spend most of your time doing the ‘what’, in aid of the ‘why’.

So what if the ‘what’ is shit? What if you HATE the ‘what’. Does hanging onto the ‘why’ make it bearable enough to carry on?

In recent months I have learned that I am happiest in my career when I find joy, and fun, and love in the ‘what’. Like when I got to interview the female CEO of a ground-breaking football club. Or when I came up with a fun, editorial style for my client’s new article series – and he loved it.

I don’t do 10-year career plans. There are no milestones I want to reach, nor income level I wish to achieve. My goals are small, and I use them as a mechanism for focusing my attention. Not measuring my success.

Most days, my ‘what’ feels more important than my why. Having a fixed goal gives us focus and structure. But it can also blind us from the wonderful, serendipitous opportunities that appear along the way.

Reply to this edition with your ‘why’s. And tell me about the ‘what’s that make your life worth living. Special thanks to my strategic advisor and friend, Becca, who helped me wrangle my thoughts for this edition <3

~ Ebony-Storm x

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The resource section

🎧 This podcast on reimagining professional identity made me feel seen. I particularly enjoyed the bit on having a professional identity crisis (been there). It’s an hour long, but worth the listen.

💰Universal Basic Income will be trialled in England for the very first time. Participants will receive £1,600 a month for two years, and researchers will observe the impact on their lives.

👩‍💻Gen Z aren’t anti-work, they’re anti-meaningfless work. That’s according to this WorkLife piece on how Gen Z are rejecting traditional career ideals. The question is – what constitutes meaningful work?