Upgrade

“Envision Your Future”

Adults often have a hard time answering the questions, “What do you want out of life? and “What matters most to you?” Many people trudge through their days in a state of “managed dissatisfaction.” The concept of managed dissatisfaction comes from Nobel Prize-winning economist Herbert Simon, who coined the term “satisficing” – a combination of “satisfy” and “suffice.” Back in 1956, Simon reasoned that humans cannot imagine every conceivable alternative, so they make decisions based on what they know. Thus, they often settle for what they think is “good enough.”

Take stock of your life and decide what you want to do. Write down your goals. If you can’t verbalize your thoughts, draw pictures. Start with the five “W’s: Who? What? Where? When? Why?” Ask yourself what kind of person you want as your business or life partner. Do you want to be single and independent or married or partnered? Do you want children? What do you hope to gain from your career? What matters to you: creativity, flexibility, a steady paycheck, health insurance or something else? Do you want to live in a city, suburb or rural environment? What is your timeline for what...