The classic interview question, right?
This question gives you a chance to think about all of the amazing things you might achieve after you’re hired to a position at a company. It could also be where ELSE you see yourself as you move past that entry-level role well before five years pass.
For some, especially those challenged by health situations, this question could also be perceived as a challenge to see yourself ANYWHERE in five years. It’s common for medical professionals to give a statistic for chronic diagnoses as a percentage of survivors after five years: “Your [fill in the blank] has a 70% survival rate in five years based on historical data.” Of course, sometimes that number is much lower, making the challenge even more interesting for the person who really does want to see herself in five years, willing to be doing just about anything!
In most of our lives, we are faced with options of what we might be doing several years from now based on our current decisions, habits, and actions. For others, decisions are made for us based on circumstances outside of our control, and we do our best to make it given those constraints by affecting the things that ARE in our control. For those more fortunate in the former category, I ask that you don’t take your time for granted; use your gifts to help others, do the things you always said you wanted to do, and let people know how much they matter to you.
If someone had asked me five years ago today where I saw myself in five years, I don’t think I would not have answered my current (and very fortunate) situations of work, family, and recreation.
I am grateful for every day I have spent between five years ago and now and look forward to every day in the future. How about you?
