I am taking Communication Skills module for my 2nd semester. I have to do a speech on a topic I like. This is the script for that speech I am planning to do.
# The script
Have you ever been asked a question that stayed in your head for a long time? For me, the answer is yes. It was about my 5 year plan. For the next few minutes, I want to dicuss what is a “5 year plan”, why it’s a must-have, and how do you create one.
Last December, I was working at asta. We had an annual meeting, and our consultant was there. Our consultant started asking each of us: “What is your 5-year plan?”. This simple question stayed in the back of my head ever since. Most of us, including me, didn’t have an answer for him. I have never thought about my future plans before. He insisted that we must have one. On that day, I realized how important it is to have a clear future plan. Without a plan, it’s easy to lose sight of where we’re headed.
A 5 year plan is a clear roadmap for where you want to be in the near-future.
Where do you want to see yourself in 2030? We will have graduated. Where do you want to work? Which discipline? Which country? Which company? When are you planning to get married? How many kids? Now is the best time to decide and divise a plan. You should include your personal, financial, relationship, professional and other goals.
It doesn’t have to be perfect. You just have to start somewhere. While thinking about your future, you may feel like you are thinking far too into the future. But believe me, time flies.
Why exactly 5 years, you may ask? Well there’s this famous quote by Bill Gates that goes like… “Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years”. I believe this is the answer for the question. 5 is the sweet spot between 1 and 10; so that you don’t over or underestimate.
Now, how do we create our plan? Take a piece of paper, and write out the goal categories: personal, relationship, finance, and professional. You can include more or less as you prefer. Then let your mind wander into the future. Where do you want to see yourself in 2030? You will find this step a bit overwhelming. It will get easier with time. Once you have a clear picture of your desired future, start planning a path. You should break out the path in to smaller, achievable and measurable steps. And finally, decide on a monthly timeline for the plan.
Once the plan is in place, you must start acting on it immediately. Not tomorrow; not next week; you must start today. I suggest you to keep a diary of your progress to keep you motivated.
However, life is unpredictable. Not everything goes according to our plans. We change. Our goals change. We have to re-evaluate and adjust our plans once in a while.
So, I challenge you: take some time to plan how do you want the next 5 years work out for you. Take the first steps today. Think about your future; write down your goals, and create a roadmap. You can just change your life.