If you could know the outcome...would you want to?

I am a fan of European television. My husband jokes that I even read my TV shows, and it's true, to watch most of my favorites I need to use subtitles. I'm on a German one right now called "Dark" and it's basically about time travelers. Most of the characters know where they end up, what happens in their lives, and how they die. It got me thinking: if given the choice, would I want to know the outcome?

This time of year many of us are putting our 2024 goals into practice. We know what we want to achieve this year, and, if you're like me, where you want to be in 5, 10, 15 years. However, none of us know where we actually will be, and some of us will get thrown curveballs that will change our trajectory and reshape those plans completely.

I started in concert marketing which I loved, but wasn't a sustainable lifestyle for me. I tried a corporate sales gig where I loved the people but not the job. When I was 30 I uprooted my life to move to Dallas to work for someone who within two years was fired. He was re-hired across the street, so I quit to follow him, but had to take a demotion to do so. I re-set my goals to be a VP of Sales by 35, and a Market Manager by 40. I was late on the DOS nod (37) which took me to Houston, a city I had never even visited before I drove down I45 with my car packed. I thought I would never make my next goal in time, but at 40 I was promoted to Market Manager, a job I have now held for 11 years, longer than I've ever done anything in my life. I have goals for my next 15 years, but they're constantly in motion as the last four years of pandemic, technology innovations, and economic factors have impacted careers in media quite substantially. I have to accept that my next step might not be linear.

But back to the original question, if I could see what was coming, would I want to? The answer is a resounding no. To me, the best part of the journey is the journey! If I knew all the challenges I would have faced over the last 30 years I might be paralyzed by them. Conversely, if I knew all of the successes I would have I probably wouldn't be so excited by them in real time. Sure, knowing who to trust and who not to trust would have been a nice tip, but again, how would that have changed my trajectory if I'd made different decisions?

Thinking about everyone's mindset as we embark on another year, I just want to say: definitely set those career goals, and work hard to achieve them. But don't be afraid of change. It WILL happen. Embrace it. Don't be scared if your path is no longer linear. It most likely won't be. Like Mike Tyson said, "everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face." You will adapt, and your will overcome.

Go get it.