Are you ready to rethink the traditional work-life trajectory and see your career as just one piece of a much bigger puzzle? By approaching your life as a series of 10-year projects, you can pursue creative fulfillment and new personal growth without feeling confined by your current role. In my previous article, I explored Jodie Cook’s vision of breaking life into meaningful chunks, avoiding the trap of defining yourself solely by your job. Here, we’ll explore how long-term vision can help you achieve balance and fulfillment beyond the typical career-driven mindset.

For those of you who have not heard of Jodie Cook before, get ready to get marvelled: Jodie Cook is a highly successful entrepreneur who sold her social media agency within 10 years while writing a book and represents great Britain internationally in powerlifting. Her philosophy encourages individuals to structure life in 10-year projects, allowing for personal reinvention and detachment from singular career identities. Now, Jodie runs a new business and inspires others to balance career success with personal fulfillment and growth.

Achieving Personal Growth Through 10-Year Projects

Many people feel stuck on a single path, believing they need to devote their entire life to one area to succeed. But Jodie Cook’s philosophy of structuring life into 10-year projects offers a refreshing alternative. This approach allows you to change direction and avoid over-identification with any single role or career. It emphasizes continually reinventing yourself and growing over time, rather than focusing on one goal for decades.

By breaking life into 10-year projects, you create a clear path for personal and professional growth without feeling overwhelmed by long-term commitment. Some key benefits include:

• Flexibility: You can shift focus and explore new interests without being tied to one career path for the rest of your life.
• Reduced burnout: Changing goals over time prevents stagnation.
• Deep focus: Going all-in on a limited set of projects for a bounded number of years allows for immersive, meaningful work.

The beauty of 10-year projects is that they give you enough time to achieve substantial growth while allowing for flexibility. Generally speaking, it is okay if the goal you have in mind is a bit longer or shorter than the 10-year timeframe. The key is to choose a timeframe that’s long enough to achieve something significant but short enough to maintain a sense of urgency and to remain deeply interested in the project.

Building a Roadmap: Core Goals for Your Next Decade

When setting goals for your next 10-year project, make sure to strike a balance between ambition and achievability – without selling yourself short! To help you work through this exercise, I’ve included a downloadable PDF that guides you step-by-step in setting your core goals and mapping out actionable milestones.

Step 1: Identify Your Core Goals

Start by identifying what excites you most—whether it’s a career milestone, a personal achievement, or a creative pursuit. Try to come up with one to three core goals. Ask yourself the questions:

• What excites me most in life?
• In which areas do I want to grow?
  • Personally, socially, creatively, financially, professionally or otherwise.
• What do I want my friends and family to know me best for?

Step 2: Break Down the Journey

Once you’ve selected your goals, it’s time to create a clear roadmap. Start by asking yourself what the desired end result of your project looks like. Ensure it’s specific and measurable, so you know when you’ve reached your goal.

Next, identify the skills and resources needed to achieve it. This helps gauge how realistic the goal is and the timeframe required.

Finally, break your goal into manageable milestones that are within your control. Focus on your effort, not outcomes that depend on others. For example, if starting a business, your milestones could be writing a business plan and launching within three years. Avoid milestones like reaching a specific number of customers, as that’s beyond your influence.

For a blog, milestones might include launching the site, writing 50 posts, or reaching out to a number of other bloggers to collaborate. However, aiming for a specific number of subscribers or followers is less useful, as it depends on factors outside your control.

Step 3: Create Checkpoints for Progress

To stay motivated throughout the decade, establish checkpoints where you can evaluate your progress. Regular reviews—perhaps yearly or even quarterly—allow you to adjust your approach if needed. These checkpoints will serve as a reminder of how far you’ve come and keep you accountable to your long-term vision.

By giving yourself concrete targets and mapping out your journey in this structured way, you’ll maintain focus and avoid feeling overwhelmed by the scope of your project.

Conclusion: Get Started on Your Next 10-Year Project

Designing your life in 10-year projects offers the chance to balance career, creativity, and personal growth in a way that feels fulfilling and intentional. The path may not always be straightforward, but with clear goals, a roadmap, and flexibility to adapt, you’ll find the process both rewarding and transformative.

The beauty of this approach is that each decade brings a fresh start. You’re not tied to one path forever—there’s always space for reinvention and new pursuits throughout your life. So take that first step, outline your vision, and embrace the next phase of your life with clarity and purpose.

If this article inspired you to start planning your own 10-year project, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and share your goals or ideas for the next decade. And if you found this post helpful, please consider liking, sharing, and subscribing to support the blog. Your engagement helps me continue creating content on creativity, productivity, and personal growth! 🫴🏽💚

Banner Photo By: Jon Tyson