Think About Yourself in 1, 2, 5, 10, and 50 Years

You're a student now, or maybe you already have a job as a junior dev.

So... what's next?

You need to make decisions. "Should I focus on distributed systems, or deep learning?" "Should I get a degree sooner, or try to do more internships?" -- making the right call is hard, because the decisions affect the future, and each choice implies trade-offs.

How to decide? Let the future-you guide you today.

Fair warning -- I did not invent this exercise. It's a version of a common exercise used in coaching. If you haven't done it before, here's how you do it.

Allocate 2-3 hours of uninterrupted time. Do not use AI -- this is your deep reflection. Take a pen and paper, or -- if you strongly prefer typing -- find the most low-tech text editor you can, to minimize interruptions and unwanted "help" (I used ghostwriter).

Then, start writing: where do you see yourself in 1 year? Just write whatever comes to mind. No structure, no polishing. Just imagine -- you're one year older -- where are you? What do you do? What do you learn? What are you proud of? And the most essential prompt: how do you feel? Future-you's emotional state is the data point that matters most. The career that looks right on LinkedIn but feels wrong when you imagine it -- pay attention to that. Be as detailed as you'd like -- sometimes, adding random details (like the color of your window shades) helps.

Then, move on -- now, you're 2 years older. Actually, calculate your age at that time and write it down. What are you then?

Keep doing the exercise. Don't stop. Repeat for 5 years from now. 10 years from now. 50 years. You'll have five snapshots: 1, 2, 5, 10, 50.

The 50-year jump may feel hard -- but that's exactly the point. Most of us never project that far, which means we make career decisions based on the next 2-3 years and ignore whether those decisions add up to a life we'd be proud of at 75.

Maybe you'll be surprised by what you write. Or maybe you'll just shrug and think, "yeah, that feels right, I guess." Either way, you now have several milestones for future-you.

So, next time you're deciding between distributed systems or deep learning... what would yourself, 10 years from now, advise?