Where to next in my career?

Sometimes, the call for change in our careers is loud and persistent. Other times, we loosely hold that a change is likely to happen in the distant future, but are quite happy where we are, thank you very much.

This is true whether you’re an academic doing career planning or in any other field.

Wherever you’re at, there is value in being able to imagine possible work and career futures. However, that imagining process can feel overwhelming and you might be telling yourself that you don’t know how to plan for a career change.

If you’re feeling a tad adventurous or have discovered that your usual rational brain isn’t that helpful when thinking about career futures, I recommend you to try Odyssey Plans (Burnett & Evans, 2016), a tool used for imagining alternate futures.

What are Odyssey Plans?

Odyssey Plans are a way to sketch out three different versions of your life; each one is a five-year vision of how things could unfold. They help you step outside the belief that there’s only one “right” career path and instead invite you to imagine what else might be possible.

Each version starts from a different premise:
Life 1: The path you’re currently on. The default future, if things keep going more or less as planned.
Life 2: The path you’d do if Life 1 were no longer an option.
Life 3: The brave or bold version. This is your life if image, money, or practical constraints weren’t a concern.

Here’s an explainer video with Bill Burnett, co-author of Designing your Life (2 mins 28 secs).

Why imagine multiple futures?

The process of mapping out different life paths challenges your default thinking, sparks imagination and often reveals quiet desires that you may have hesitated to name previously.

It also reminds us that there are many ways to build a meaningful career and life. And not everything has to be “realistic” to be insightful. Sometimes it’s the wild version (Life 3) that gives us a clue about what we are longing for.

How to create your Odyssey Plans

First, I want to make clear that there are no artistic abilities needed to do this (see my examples as proof!). Also, there’s no right way to do this; I encourage you to stay curious, and don’t overthink it. Finally, make sure to include some non-work aspirations in the mix.

Process

Grab a piece of paper (or equivalent) and a pen (coloured markers are great too).

Sketch your three different 5-year plans:

• Life 1: The path you’re currently on. What would this look like if it continued for the next five years? What roles, places, projects, or relationships might be part of it?
• Life 2: What would you do if Life 1 disappeared tomorrow? Perhaps a side interest could become more central, or there’s an alternate career you’ve often dreamt about.
• Life 3: What would you do if you were completely free to choose? Imagine that there was no need to justify, explain, or make the numbers work. (You may need to work extra hard here to quiet that voice which screams out “Ya, but c’mon, this reality will never exist. That’s not the point. The point is that doing Life 3 may reconnect you with something that really matters to you and that you’ve pushed aside).

Include what excites or worries you about each path. Remember to add a few non-work aspirations and dreams. And, please feel free to be messy: this isn’t about making a decision, it’s about seeing what shows up.

Tip: for the over thinkers in the crowd, I recommend setting a timer (i.e. 5-6 minutes) for each Life and challenging yourself to sketch that Life within the allocated time.

Isabeau’s examples

I’ve done my Odyssey Plans, now what?

Once you’ve mapped out your three futures, take a few minutes to reflect. Here are a few questions to guide you:

• What feelings came up as you imagined each path (excitement, fear, relief, curiosity?) The Feelings Wheel can help you.
• What did you notice as you worked through the exercise?
• Which life path do you feel most drawn to? What’s drawing you to this one?
• What’s one small element, from any of your paths, that you might want to explore further?