As an architect, creator, designer where will you be in five-years’ time?

Is this a question that you ask yourself often? Or do you keep moving in the same direction, hoping that there will be a magical array of creative paths for you to explore some-time soon. Living in stuckness is not the way forward.

When there is a plan and purpose in your life, there is an inner sense of wanting to move ahead. This empowers and drives you and your career towards new opportunities.

Yes, we can as women have some roadblocks that come our way. Family and children are legitimate but are not the reason to lose sight of your potential. No different in your design career. You have an end result whether a beautiful extension to a home or large development of buildings. It is all the same, as you begin the design process a goal, a plan is put together to bring the building/s to completion at a specific date. The same with your career. What is your best future and where will you be in 5 years?

Here are some suggestions to get the ball rolling with a vision that you can live daily to create the best version of yourself and your talents as a creative during the next five years.

  1. Without a vision we have no visual representation of our world and potential. Ask yourself the question, in a perfect world where do I want to be in five years? Elite athletes plan years in advance for winning results. You can do the same.
  2. Execute. When you have a vision of where you want to be in five years, create a map working back from the end of the five years to present day. Divide the five years up into years, months, weeks and days. What are you going to do to achieve to create the best version of yourself and your talents in five years?
  3. Start now. Don’t procrastinate. This is a time waster and you will be in the same place in five years’ time if you let the “What ifs” strike up a conversation in your brain. Yes, there will be some challenges but this happens to everyone, and those who make it to the end to fulfill their vision and goals ride through the roadblocks and you can do the same.

We all have the potential to create the best possible version of our careers when we let go of the ‘Inner critic’ that loves to live in the head of many creative professionals. One that can stop many in their tracks! It may be called the “perfectionist”. The simple and smartest way to start creating a five-year plan to achieve your Gold is to begin now.  Many of the world’s most respected creators and innovators had massive challenges along their path to greatness, but they didn’t let this stop them. Follow your bliss, your passion and let the vision that sits inside and outside your head steer you towards the best version of yourself during this five-year journey.

Go well.