Envisioning Your Future: A Simple Exercise for Career Exploration

 Ever wondered what your career could look like in five years' time?

 The possibilities and options

 On the show today, discover how a simple exercise can unlock your potential and transform your future.

 Hello and a very warm welcome to Episode No 90 of ‘Your Bravo Career’

My name is Mark Crossfield, I’m a Professional Career Coach / helping you to love your job and build a great career.  

 This podcast is about why your career matters

How you can enjoy what you are doing day each day at work

and how to build a great career along the way.

Introduction

 Welcome everybody to Episode No 90

 And in today's episode, I’m exploring a fascinating concept called Odyssey Planning.

 When I was going through my own career woes, I read a book called Designing Your Life – the subtitle of the book is - Build the Perfect Career Step by Step.

 I will put the link in the show notes.

 There’s an exercise in that book which is called Odyssey Planning, and I’m going to talk about it today, and

I’m going to explain the exercise and talk you through how to do it.

We are not talking theories today, this is a practical exercise you can and should do for yourself.

So, this episode is inspired by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans, the authors of Designing Your Life, and their excellent book.

In essence, this Odyssey Planning approach encourages you to envision three distinct five-year paths for your career,

Each one offers a unique life and career sliding door, with different career choices and life experiences.

If you've ever felt stuck or wondered what else might be out there for you, this episode is your invitation to explore that landscape.

The landscape of your potential future.

So, let's get started. Let me give you an overview of the process first.

Explaining Odyssey Planning

So, as I said, odyssey Planning is a strategy for broadening your perceptions of what's possible for you.

Let me give you a quick overview …

It involves drafting three diverse five-year plans, or odysseys, for your future, with each scenario offering a unique direction and outcome for your life.

Imagine one path that builds upon your current career plan, an extension of the status quo if you like.

What is the likely path if you carry on with your current role, organisation or career direction.

Then you are going to think about an alternative path. A path that veers off into a completely new direction, maybe a new role or even a career change.

This could involve a move to new company, or even a new geographical location. 

Then,

You will envision a third path that follows a deep-seated career idea you have also wished for.

It could be launching your own business or dedicating yourself to a career cause that is important to you.

And, as you sketch these odysseys, you are going to be allowing yourself to contemplate and envision without any constraints.

In thinking through these options, you are going to be painting a vivid picture of each these paths.

Each potential future.

I found this exercise exciting when I first came across it and I think you will to.

Benefits of Odyssey Planning

The beauty of Odyssey Planning lies in you envisaging what might happen for you in 5 years if you follow different paths in your career.

It challenges habitual thinking, and gets you to explore the breadth of possibilities beyond your current situation.

It also helps you to clarify your priorities by comparing these diverse odysseys –  and it focusses your attention on what truly matters to you in your career and life.

 Your values and core motivations.

 So, grab a notebook, and keep listening as I talk you through how to do the exercise.

Are you ready?

Allow you thinking to become light and spacious ..

Have some fun with this ..

You are going to start with …

Plan A - Your Current Path

Your current path is essentially the continuation of your life as it currently stands.

Imagine what your life would look like if you continued on your current path.

What milestones do you envision achieving in your career over the next five years?

Perhaps it involves gaining a promotion, expanding your skill set, or even taking on a new role.

Push yourself here to be both ambitious and realistic.

Strive for more while also acknowledging the practical steps you'll need to take.

Reflect on what excites you about this path and what might need to change to make this journey even more rewarding.

So, go ahead now and imagine what your life could look like in the next 5 years if you continued on your current path.

Pause the podcast while you do this.

Ok, have you done it?

Let’s now look at the next path.

Plan B – is The Alternative Path

This is where you consider an alternative route to the one you’re currently on.

It's the path you might take if your current path was suddenly unavailable to you or if you decided to make a deliberate shift.

This could mean transitioning to a different industry, exploring a new role that aligns more closely with an area of work you are interested in.

It could even mean going back to study.

The key here is flexibility and the willingness to explore opportunities beyond your current path.

Ask yourself, what other careers have you been curious about? What skills would you love to develop?

Plan B is all about the possibilities that exist when you dare to look beyond the familiar.

Imagine what your life could look like over the next 5 years if you followed this alternative path.

Ok, let’s look at the final path,

This is …

Plan C - The Wild Card

The wild card

Plan C is arguably the most exciting part in this exercise.

This is your dream scenario, without any pesky constraints of financial considerations holding you back.

 There are no practical limitations here.

What would you do if you could do anything?

Maybe it's launching your own business, pursuing a career in the arts, or living and working abroad.

This is about allowing yourself to dream big and identify what you would love to do.

While this path might seem the most fun, it can also seem like a big stretch from where you are now.

It's also the most revealing.

It shows you what’s possible when you allow yourself to dream without limits.

So, go ahead now and imagine what your wild card life could look like in the next 5 years.

If you are not sure, make it up, be playful.

You can’t get this stuff wrong, you are just playing with your possibilities.

When you are doing this exercise,

Try to visualise where each path could lead you, in terms of career satisfaction, personal growth, and lifestyle.

Remember, this exercise isn't really a practical planning exercise, that will come later,

it's about aligning with what makes you feel most alive.

Reflection

Now, with each of these paths laid out, it's time to do some reflection.

I hope you took the time to pause the episode and do this exercise.

How did it go?

How did your life and career play out with these 3 odyssey options?

What surprised you?

What excites you?

Do any of these bring up any fears or hesitations?

Fear, and the false indicator that fear often is, often shows up when we look at alternatives paths.

That’s ok.

These emotional indicators often point us towards what we truly desire.

Do you need to explore one or all of these options further?

And, what are you going to do next?

Please take some action if you’ve done this exercise.

This might be just finding out more about a certain option.

Also, don't hesitate to discuss these paths with a trusted friend or mentor.

Getting different perspectives can shed new light on your thoughts and feelings.

Maybe you want to discuss these paths with me. That would be ok as well.

Ok, so I hope you found that exercise useful.

It’s time to wrap up the show now …

We’ve been talking about Odyssey planning today.

This isn’t about making immediate, life-altering decisions. It's about exploring the wide array of possibilities that life offers you.

It’s about opening up to your different futures.

Whether you're feeling stuck in your current role, looking for a change, or simply curious about what else is out there,

This exercise is a powerful tool for envisioning and, eventually, creating a career and life that brings you joy, fulfilment, and satisfaction.

I hope this episode has inspired you to think more broadly about your career and life possibilities.

 Remember, your career is a grand adventure, and it's never too late to explore new paths.

So, keep dreaming, keep planning, and keep striving for a career you love.

Section 8: End

 As always, thank you for joining me today.

 You can find today’s show notes at bravocoaching.co.uk/podcast.

 If you are interested in working with me, you can book a free discovery call on my website.

Have a wonderful week and I will speak to you again in a couple of weeks time.

Bye for now.