10 Year Outlook
Prompt #3 Set-up:
Relax your mind and consider all of your possible selves and possible futures…
Remember to answer all the following questions as if the date is 10 years from today!
Prompt #3: Please respond to each of the following 12 questions. Be sure to give the questions some deep thought, and demonstrate your engagement in the process by responding thoughtfully to each one.
What is the date today? How old are you? (Remember – 10 years from now!)
The date is July 17, 2026 and I have finally made it over the hill at age 45. Fortunately, my wife is the same age and neither of us acts as old as we really are.
Where and in what kind of environment are you living?
In an effort to support an easy going environment, my family has moved away from the ever growing population of Oregon and is, instead, living in Tennessee. My mother-in-law inherited 40 acres of land and has portioned much of it for our family to build homes near each other where we can easily spend time with one another. The land is a bit removed from the hustle and bustle of the city, but near enough that I am easily able to commute to my full-time job.
What is your family situation?
At this point, my wife and I have been together for nearly 27 years, and our son Sean has just turned 16 years old. Being the parents of a teenage boy has been full of challenges, but still proves to be a very rewarding part of my life. At this age, I can see how years of care, development, and mentoring have contributed to the man my son is becoming. Much like his father, Sean is self-driven in his educational pursuits, but unlike me, he has developed a love of athletics in the form of soccer. My parents still live in New Mexico, but come out to visit several times a year thanks to the roomy aspect of our property.
What kind of work are you doing?
Having graduated 10 years prior, I finally felt empowered to discover my ability to work in a field outside of retail management. While I always enjoyed my work, there was something missing over all those years of retail operations. A sense of meaningful contribution to the community around me inspired me to enter a more personal form of work.
Describe the institution/organization you work for.
I now work for a local organization that operates in a way similar to Habitat for Humanity. While we do not have the global recognition and financial support of a large organization, we are able to serve our local needs through a coordinated network of supportive businesses and individual contribution. Our group incorporates the passion of volunteers with the knowledge and ability of trained professionals in order to create housing solutions for those in need.
What does your work place look like? What kind of building do you work in? Where is it located? Is the environment urban, rural, etc.?
Our organization operates through a traditional office space located in Knoxville, but much of my work is done in the field. My years of corporate experience have made me a capable ambassador of our organization and I spend much of my time introducing sponsors to the work we do and the services we provide. I love that each day takes me to different sites around the neighboring communities and love the sense of connection I get from my daily interactions.
Describe a typical work week/day.
A traditional day for me begins around 6:30am when I log into my company email and look for items of immediate importance. By 7:00 am I’m on my way to the office and by 7:30 am, I am at my desk mapping out my agenda for that day. The first half of the day is spent meeting with prospective supporters and driving awareness of our organization. The second half of the day is spent connecting with team members working in the field. The greatest part of each day comes from meeting families and individuals that we have been able to help through our work. I often create a video clip of our encounter and share it with my team at the end of each week as a way of seeing the value of our efforts.
Do you work standard hours or is your schedule flexible?
Based upon my own need for systems and structure, my work days are typically structured around a 7:30 am – 4:00 pm schedule. I am not, however, held to this specifically. My team is comprised of individuals who gain personal value and satisfaction from our work and each of us does whatever is necessary to meets the needs of our people. Our office staff works a traditional Monday through Friday 8:00am – 5:00pm day in order to create consistent and reliable contact resource for our clients and supporters. We do, however, respect that importance of family time and provide weekends and holidays off for all of our employees.
Describe your lifestyle.
My lifestyle might be best described as basic yet comfortable. We don’t live in extraordinary or lavish ways, but we do well with what we have. Serving the community through my work has meant that I am driven to share the wealth, as it were, when it comes to lifestyle choices.
Do you have much leisure time and, if so, how do you spend it?
I spend evenings and weekends with my family, and look forward to family trips every three or four months. We often do something low-key like camping, but each year we make sure to visit at least one family member out of state. My sisters live in Oregon and New Mexico respectively and my wife’s brothers live in Florida and Pennsylvania. This gives us terrific opportunities to see family and experience a bit of adventure at the same time. And, as previously mentioned, my son participates in soccer which means driving out to tournaments and games on a weekly basis.
What is your current financial situation?
Many years of working through the corporate hierarchy provided my family with financial stability and moving to a quieter part of the country meant that we were able to build a large home for less money than our last house. Without a mortgage or other significant financial obligations, our family is able to save money and invest in worthy pursuits.
Are you as happy as you thought you would be? Why or why not?
While I always used to envision my life dictated by a never-ending progression through the corporate world, I have found a sense of inner peace and personal satisfaction with my life now. I have a rewarding job that contributes to the well-being of others, a loving family with whom I am able to spend quality time, and a stable overall environment. I’m not changing the entire world, but I am changing individual lives for the better on a daily basis. This is everything that I could have ever hoped for.