In Ten Years' Time

“It wasn’t enough to be what you were. You had to be working to be something else.”

~ Victor, Moving Pictures by Terry Pratchett

I was conversing with an old teacher of mine the other day about this over e-mail. It’s such a common question—where do you see yourself in, oh, ten years or so? And it seems like the “right” answer, or the expected answer, is always something other than wherever one happens to be now.

Of course, in many ways, that’s understandable. If you get asked this question at a job interview, people really want to know about your career ambitions, about if you’re thinking ahead and if your goals align with the job that you’re applying for. When people ask you this question in general, perhaps what they really want to know is what your plans are for your future, what your dreams are or your future goals.

It’s not about whether or not you’re happy with where you are or what you’ve got in life at the moment, which makes sense but is also a little sad sometimes. It’s like we’re not expected to be content with our lives. No wonder it can be hard for some people to appreciate what they have. So many of the words we use and hear everyday incidentally fill our heads with contrasts, comparisons, and dissatisfaction.

It’s great to strive for something more, and I’d be the first to say that we need to have dreams. But it doesn’t mean we can’t also be happy now, and take some time everyday just to appreciate the things and people we already have in our lives.

I hope I transcribed that quote correctly. I was listening to the audiobook for Moving Pictures when I jotted it down, and it’s not always easy to get things down word for word. I love a lot of Terry Pratchett’s work, so this blog will probably end up with multiple quotes from his stories in the long run. The mix of humor and insight in his books really lets us take a step back and contemplate the funny little things in our lives and about human beings.