Futuring

When I was 12, I had a homework assignment from my teacher. She wanted us to think of what will I become when I reach the age of 35. What will I do? So, using my imagination, I envisioned my 35 year old self will be married, have 2 kids, and not working at all. My justification of not working? The kids. They will need a mother to grow up with, and I don't want to entrust their care in someone else's lap. I want to raise them, educate them, and spend all my time with them. I want to be there to watch them grow up, do their homework together, teaching all the important stuff about life.

Armed with this vision, I grow up to be a young lady with busy activities. When I was in high school, I challenged myself to not only to be the top ten of my class, but I also was active in my high school's drama club. I trained myself to not only master one thing, but two things at once. With time that has been given to me, I want to see if I can manage my activities effectively.

When I was 20, I was super busy. I attended my university classes and pushed myself to get an A in every single subject possible. I also was active my student body (senate), holding events like seminars, workshops, and outreach events, getting sponsorship from left and right to fund my events, creating special committees, and ensure each events went on successfully.

One of my best friend saw this pattern in me. Always going around somewhere. Always have something to do. No idle time. So he asked me why I push myself to do all these. I, naively said, "15 years from now I'll be 35. I'll be married and have 2 children. I also will be working (this is a bit different from my original vision, but that's okay. I guess when I was 20 I realized that my future family might need my income to help support life).  So I need to train myself for time management while juggling with these activities. Might as well learn now rather than be overwhelmed later."

And I did it. I graduated from my university with honors (cum laude). I was proud of my achievement. Although I did not get summa cum laude or magna cum laude, but I thought it was good enough graduating with cum laude at least because on top of that I also busy doing something else. I had my activities with the student senate. And in the final year of my study, I also worked part-time (internship). Another thing that I accomplished: I got an A in my final thesis. This is from a professor that was infamously never given somebody an A!

One thing that I can learn from these experience, it taught me something. Because I already know that my time at the university is limited, I was able to do quality things and not doing stuff that not important. During the class session, I seriously study. During the students senate meeting, I hold the meeting effectively because I know this is the only time for me to do things. I charted a road map for me on how to finish all my classes in 3.5 years, because I don't want to be one of those students that attending classes "forever". College should be a 4 years degree (unless if you're in medical field).

One terms comes to mind: futuring. Futuring is a systematic process for thinking and planning about the future. Back then I didn't know that I was futuring. I want to always be prepared to what's next, that's why I "trained" myself to be ready for whatever may comes. I guess I should call myself a futurist. Futurists are people who actively view the present world as a window on possible future outcomes. They watch trends and try to envision what might happen.

In the corporate world, this is what they called a vision.

Now I am 38.

I am married. I don't have 2 kids. But I do have 2 important people to take care of: my husband and my mother.  I am working, for the last 17 years of my life.  The future is somewhat different from what I envisioned. And that's okay. Because the past got me prepared for what's next.

Right now, I am still futuring. I imagine what my life will be when I'm 50, 60, and beyond. I predict that I won't work forever (I hope!), therefore I'm getting serious in building my retirement funds. I also think that healthcare cost will keep rising, so to prevent expensive treatment in the future, I watch what I eat (and drink). I don't want to work all the time, pile all those money, to be ended up wasting fixing my health. I want to enjoy my life, and for that I need my health. No more bacon and french fries! More fruits and vegs! Goodbye sodium!

All of these futuring is so exciting! It helps us preparing our next chapter in life. The prep stage, it enhanced our skills. It taught us to be selective with our thoughts and activities. It helps us to make a right decision. "Is this helping us with our goal? or not?". If the answer is not, then you know what to do. It pushes us to continue learning things that we don't know before. Like the term RMD (Required Minimum Distribution) for retirees age 70 and above. Or the secluded vacation spot in Vanuatu.

Futuring change our perspective. Futuring could help change our lives to the better. If you haven't try futuring, then try it. Explore it. You might need it one day. At least you'll get new skills and a new way to see the world.