How to Predict Your Future

“The best way to predict your future is to create it.” The first time I saw this quote, I had two opposite reactions within the span of a few seconds. The thought provoking one liner has been credited to President Abraham Lincoln, as well as business management expert Peter Drucker, and when I read the words on social media, they gave me pause.

On one hand, the statement is empowering. On the other hand, it’s hard to grasp. Can we really create our own future? The advice is brilliant, but it’s also a conundrum. Because how much control do we actually have?

I recently purchased a blue velvet chair that makes me feel all fancy and executive like. But even with a perceived boost of confidence, I know my power is limited. Events of the past year are a testament to the unexpected seasons of life, and although it’s true our lives are made up of one small daily decision after another, it’s also true that each sunrise brings an unexpected challenge we aren’t able to plan or predict.

On a personal and professional level, I love to prepare for what’s ahead. But I must confess something. The longer I live, the more I wonder about the efficacy of a blueprint designed by my own hand.

Maybe you do too?

If you and I were to compare notes from the past decade, we could likely swap stories of a major transition or two (or three…) that took us by surprise, along with smaller changes we never saw coming, despite a well laid creative plan for things to turn out otherwise.

My 5-year-old nephew recently asked me to play an interactive conversation game called, “Would You Rather?”, and as I thought about the fun series of questions we tossed back and forth, I considered the difference between choice and chance.

I thought of it again as I drove home from church Sunday night, this time in terms of the parable mentioned in Matthew 25:14-30, where the proverbial talents were unequally distributed among the servants of a man who went on a journey, expecting a gain on investment upon his return.

Two of the servants yielded a wise increase as a result of their thoughtful choices, but the third buried his talent, in fear of losing what had been entrusted to him.

The parable is an interesting paradox in the sense that his motive seemed honorable. He wanted to preserve and protect, to value and hold close what the lord had given him. But in the end, we see it wasn’t enough, because it was driven by fear and not by faith.

The servants who were deemed faithful set out to cultivate, create, and capitalize, and it brings to mind the correlation with our lives today.

At work and in life, we are all faced with different measures of challenge and responsibility, and the life we design is not always the one we live. In contrast to the question of “would you rather?”, we often have to embrace a heartfelt series of personal decisions to “make the most” of the opportunities in front of us.

Can we create the future? In part, I believe the answer is yes.

But as we set out with a worn, faded canvas that has already been marked in ways we couldn’t have imagined, let’s remember there is only one way to truly predict the path. We must leave it in the Master’s hands. He offers the initial deposit of abundant grace, then provides space for us to make our own choices. He knows each harvest won’t look exactly the same, but that’s part of the bigger plan.

You and I aren’t bound by a particular career path, or expected to achieve a lucrative net worth. We aren’t required to maintain a status quo set by the standards of the world, or align our goals with those who have a different set of values. But we are called to embrace the opportunities before us with heart, purpose and passion.

We can make a difference with small seeds of intention, and as I think about principles that often create a high return on investment, the following action steps come to mind. If you need a practical template to reset your focus after a hard year, consider these essential and timeless keys to help you move forward.

• Foster Faith in God and His Plan
• Cultivate a Strong Work Ethic
• Hone Your Skills and Talent
• Develop a Mindset of Perseverance
• Show Love with Generosity
• Seek to be a Peacemaker
• Take Hold of Courage
• Trust God for the End Result

One of the many beautiful things about a collaboration with the Master is that he provides the power and the tools. He only asks us to be faithful and steward the project well.

I can’t say I always do, but I want to. I believe you do too.

From my seat at the table, I’m cheering you on. With quiet resolve and careful determination to cultivate a meaningful yield, let’s create the future we are predicting together.