YOUR FUTURE

What Are Your Expectations & Predictions?

Look at the things listed below. These are just some of the things which could happen to you. 🙂
Which of these do you really think will happen to you?
(Indicate your answer as one of – ? – Yes – No)

• I’ll get some job, but not the one I really want
• I’ll get a pretty good job
• I’ll end up getting a pretty lousy job
• I will easily get the job I’m after
• I won’t have to worry about work as I’m going to win a lot of money
• I will try a few jobs until I find one I like
• I’ll get the job I want, but I’ll have to work hard to get it
• I think that any job I do will only be a fill-in for a few years
• I will probably be out of work for some time
• I hope to work constantly until I retire
• I will earn enough money so that I can travel when I’m in my twenties
• I will have periods of employment and unemployment
• I expect never to have a job
• I’ll get any sort of job – it doesn’t matter what
• I’ve arranged a job with my friend/relative
• I would rather just do a part-time job
• I’ll start my own business some time
• I expect stability of employment
• I expect variety and flexibility in my job
• I’ll be married before I’m 21
• I don’t want to get married at all
• In a marriage I would expect both husband and wife to work
• I would regard marriage as more important than a career
• In a relationship, I would be prepared to devote equal time to both the relationship, and my career
• I would like to have some children -soon
• I would like to have some children -later
  

Did you find this exercise easy or difficult? Why?
Do you think you are being realistic with your answers to these questions?
Have you left too much to chance, or do your answers show some definite thought on your future?

In making any important decision, there needs to be some weighing up of what is happening with you now, with what your plans are for the future.

For each really big decision you make, there would be some trade-off between what is to be lost and what can be gained.

If your present comfort or security is your only consideration, you could easily fail to achieve what you really want from life.

For example, to undertake a full-time course of study for four years means giving up a full-time salary for that time in the hope of getting some long-term benefit. However, it may not be possible to take on full-time study if you don’t have or can’t get enough money to live on.

The future may be unknown, but it still affects the choices and decisions which we make.

It does this in a variety of ways:

• an individual has hopes, plans, fears and expectations about the future that can’t help influencing their decision making
  
• to get certain things in the future it is necessary to do certain things now i.e. study for future profession or save for future purchase
  
• the job market is also affected by the future. In ten years time, many present jobs will have vanished while many new ones will have been created

YOUR
FUTURE

Ask yourself these questions…

• What goals do I have?
  
• What dreams have I got?
  
• What type of life would I like to lead?
  
• When would I like to get married?
  
• How many children would I like to have?
  
• What would I like to be well known for?
  
• What standard of living would I like?
  
• What education level would I like to reach?
  
• Where would I like to travel to?
  
• In what ways can I grow as a person?
  
• What steps am I taking now to achieve the future I want?

It is very possible that other people have some hopes and plans for YOUR future.

What hopes, plans, expectations do you think these people have for you?
i.e. Mother; Father; Brothers; Sisters; Teachers; Coaches; Friends; Other relatives; Neighbours

What effect do they have on your expectations and plans?

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When thinking about your life right now, or at ANY other time in your future, the factors listed below (there are many others as well) are likely to influence your decision.

Can you explain how each one might have an effect on your decision making?

LIVING SITUATION — location, costs, tension within, moving elsewhere
FAMILY – expectations, needs, responsibility, financial situation, marriage breakdown
FRIENDS – their expectations, joining them, leaving them
HEALTH – yours and others, short term or long term illnesses, pregnancy
FEARS – unemployment, no money, failure
LOVE LIFE/ROMANCE – marriage plans, boy/girl friend lives where, time spent with
SCHOOL – friends, no friends, dislike of teachers, trouble, achievements
OTHER INTERESTS – such as sports, hobbies, politics

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Perhaps…

You might be able to help these people out?

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