WEBVTT
00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:09.519
When you're considering your future, especially in the middle of a significant life change, everyone wants to know where you'll be in five years.
00:00:09.919 --> 00:00:11.199
Just envision it.
00:00:11.439 --> 00:00:14.160
What will your life look like in five years?
00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:15.439
What about ten?
00:00:16.079 --> 00:00:19.920
But almost no one is asking where you'll be in three months.
00:00:20.160 --> 00:00:25.359
And in reality, that's a far more important question to focus on right now.
00:00:25.760 --> 00:00:27.120
Hi, this is Jordana.
00:00:27.359 --> 00:00:31.359
I'm the CEO of the Recon Network and host of the In Brief podcast.
00:00:31.519 --> 00:00:40.799
And today we're talking about one of the most misunderstood parts of transition: the pressure to have a long-term plan when you barely have footing.
00:00:41.039 --> 00:00:54.960
We're going to talk about why long-term planning during early transition is a trap, why stabilization has to come before strategy, and why the immediate future, not the distant one, is where your attention needs to be right now.
00:00:56.799 --> 00:00:58.000
This is in brief.
00:00:58.159 --> 00:00:59.439
Let's get to it.
00:01:16.879 --> 00:01:19.200
Where do you see yourself in five years?
00:01:19.439 --> 00:01:25.920
And the assumption behind that question is that the answer to it defines whether or not you have stability.
00:01:26.079 --> 00:01:30.480
If you can't answer it clearly, it clearly means you don't have direction, right?
00:01:30.640 --> 00:01:32.879
You're not thinking strategically enough.
00:01:33.120 --> 00:01:35.680
But here's what that question misses.
00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:45.280
If you don't have stable footing right now, not only is that not a gavel on where you are currently, but planning five years out is useless.
00:01:45.519 --> 00:01:48.799
It's not just premature, it's counterproductive.
00:01:49.040 --> 00:02:06.000
That's because when you're in early transition, when you're still figuring out what civilian life actually feels like, and when your nervous system is still adjusting, trying to map out five years is like trying to plan a cross-country road trip when you don't even know if your car will start after all this time.
00:02:06.239 --> 00:02:13.199
In this situation, a long-term plan doesn't help you, just adds pressure to a system that's already overloaded.
00:02:13.439 --> 00:02:17.759
The reality is that you can't build a future when you don't have a foundation.
00:02:17.919 --> 00:02:21.039
And the next 90 days, that's foundational work.
00:02:21.280 --> 00:02:24.479
That's where you figure out how to function and how to stabilize.
00:02:24.719 --> 00:02:29.039
That means the next 90 days aren't for career trajectory or building wealth.
00:02:29.199 --> 00:02:35.599
They're not for finding your purpose or locking in your identity or becoming the person that you want to be for the rest of your life.
00:02:35.840 --> 00:02:40.000
The next 90 days are for one thing: stabilization.
00:02:40.400 --> 00:02:41.039
That's it.
00:02:41.280 --> 00:02:43.280
And stabilization is not glamorous.
00:02:43.360 --> 00:02:48.240
It is not impressive, but it is the one thing that makes everything else possible.
00:02:48.560 --> 00:02:56.960
Stabilization, as we might define it, looks like this: you build a routine, you start figuring out what your baseline needs are: sleep, food, movement, connection.
00:02:57.120 --> 00:03:02.319
You identify one or two people that you can talk to honestly as a supportive backboard.
00:03:02.479 --> 00:03:05.280
You get your finances to a place where you're not in crisis mode.
00:03:05.360 --> 00:03:08.080
You find work that keeps you moving and pays the bills.
00:03:08.240 --> 00:03:14.080
You create predictability and give your nervous system proof that the ground beneath you is not moving.
00:03:14.240 --> 00:03:16.240
It is solid enough to stand on.
00:03:16.639 --> 00:03:19.199
Now, of course, none of that sounds like progress.
00:03:19.360 --> 00:03:20.639
It's not glamorous.
00:03:20.719 --> 00:03:39.520
And when someone asks you the question of where do you want to be in five years or where are you going, it doesn't even really sound like you're building towards something, but you are, because you can't build anything meaningful when your system is a constant threat mode, and your system won't come out of threat mode until it has proof that you're stable.
00:03:39.840 --> 00:03:46.960
Now, when you leave the military, the clarity that comes with the structured plan and a structured career path disappears.
00:03:47.120 --> 00:03:50.560
And without that clarity, most people do one of two things.
00:03:50.719 --> 00:03:59.520
They either freeze because they can't see the path forward, or they force a plan into being because not having one feels unbearable.
00:03:59.840 --> 00:04:02.400
Both of those responses miss the point.
00:04:02.639 --> 00:04:05.199
The problem isn't not having a five-year plan.
00:04:05.360 --> 00:04:09.439
The problem is that you're trying to make one when you don't have data yet.
00:04:09.680 --> 00:04:12.000
You don't know what kind of work fits you.
00:04:12.159 --> 00:04:16.240
You don't know what your capacity is outside of the military structure.
00:04:16.319 --> 00:04:19.600
You don't know what your non-negotiables are because you haven't tested them.
00:04:19.839 --> 00:04:24.240
So any plan you make in this new lifestyle is just a guess.
00:04:24.399 --> 00:04:27.839
And when you're guessing under pressure, you can often be wrong.
00:04:28.160 --> 00:04:29.759
You assume you know what you want.
00:04:29.920 --> 00:04:34.720
You assume you know what will make you happy, you assume to know what kind of life you're building toward.
00:04:34.879 --> 00:04:41.040
But those assumptions are shaped by who you were in the military, not who you're becoming outside of it.
00:04:41.120 --> 00:04:46.079
And the gap between those two versions of yourself can be way bigger than you think.
00:04:46.319 --> 00:04:53.680
So when you lock yourself into a five-year plan too early, you're committing to a future based on incomplete information.
00:04:54.000 --> 00:05:02.240
And then a year later, when you realize the plan doesn't fit who you've become or who you're becoming, you feel like you failed and it's a setback.
00:05:02.399 --> 00:05:06.319
But you didn't fail, you just put ink to the plan too soon.
00:05:06.800 --> 00:05:10.000
So instead of asking, where will I be in five years?
00:05:10.160 --> 00:05:11.040
Ask this.
00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:14.959
What do I need to be stable 90 days from now?
00:05:15.199 --> 00:05:18.720
Not thriving, not successful, just stable.
00:05:18.959 --> 00:05:21.600
And what does stable look like for you?
00:05:22.000 --> 00:05:25.680
It often looks like having enough money coming in that you're not panicking every week.
00:05:25.920 --> 00:05:28.399
Looks like having a routine that keeps you functional.
00:05:28.560 --> 00:05:31.600
It looks like knowing who you can call when things get hard.
00:05:31.759 --> 00:05:43.040
And all of that might not sound ambitious, but stability is the most ambitious thing you can aim for in early transition because without it, every decision you make is reactive.
00:05:43.279 --> 00:05:45.680
Every move is survival-based.
00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:48.959
And survival-based decisions don't build a future.
00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:51.040
They just keep you from falling apart.
00:05:51.279 --> 00:06:01.279
So if you're in early transition of any kind, not even that of just leaving service, know that you're allowed to take time to narrow your focus and prioritize stability.
00:06:01.759 --> 00:06:07.680
In fact, doing so gives you a stable foundation to make a far wider range of decisions from.
00:06:07.839 --> 00:06:10.879
It doesn't make you short-sighted, it makes you strategic.
00:06:11.120 --> 00:06:23.279
And as a side note, if you need help with this, this is exactly the kind of work that the Recon Network was built for, to help you identify the gaps and fill them to create a stable foundation you can work from.
00:06:23.519 --> 00:06:31.199
In fact, our new app, Mark 20, was just designed to do the same thing to help you stabilize as you move through a life shift.
00:06:31.439 --> 00:06:41.360
But even on your own, narrowing your focus to what is important, filling those gaps is critical to give you a forward operating base you can work from in the future.
00:06:41.680 --> 00:06:48.879
Now, after 90 days, or whenever you're ready, because let's face it, life doesn't always adhere to our own timelines.
00:06:49.120 --> 00:06:52.560
But whenever you're stable, you can start thinking further out.
00:06:52.720 --> 00:06:57.519
You can start asking the bigger questions, start experimenting, start planning.
00:06:57.759 --> 00:07:03.279
But then you're doing it from a place of stability instead of a place of panic or uncertainty.
00:07:03.519 --> 00:07:10.079
And those plans, I promise you, will look completely different than plans made while you're in survival mode.
00:07:10.240 --> 00:07:17.920
They're clearer, they're more aligned, they're based on what you actually need instead of what you think you're supposed to want.
00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:20.000
So here's what I want you to do.
00:07:20.160 --> 00:07:25.680
For now, forget about the next five years and just focus on the next 90 days.
00:07:26.000 --> 00:07:29.040
What do you need to be stable three months from now?
00:07:29.439 --> 00:07:32.720
Notice that I didn't say successful, not impressive.
00:07:32.959 --> 00:07:34.319
Just stable.
00:07:34.800 --> 00:07:39.360
Focus on that because the next 90 days aren't about building your future.
00:07:39.519 --> 00:07:42.800
They're about building a foundation that makes a future possible.
00:07:43.360 --> 00:07:49.920
Now, long-term planning definitely has its place, but not in early transition when your system is still adjusting.
00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:52.879
You don't need a five-year plan right now.
00:07:53.120 --> 00:07:55.360
You need 90 days of solid ground.
00:07:55.519 --> 00:07:59.680
And once you have that, the rest will all fall into place.
00:08:17.040 --> 00:08:29.120
From our annual VET Summit to online workshops and even in-person local events, we provide real training, real conversations, and practical insights you can use the same day.
00:08:29.279 --> 00:08:34.159
With a goal to get you the tools you need to find direction and meaning now.
00:08:34.799 --> 00:08:38.799
So if you don't know what you want or where you want to go, no worries.
00:08:38.960 --> 00:08:41.120
There's no cost, no pressure.
00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:43.519
Just support when you need it.
00:08:43.759 --> 00:08:49.679
So find your next event at recon.bet and join us for something new.
00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:09.519
When you're considering your future, especially in the middle of a significant life change, everyone wants to know where you'll be in five years.
00:00:09.919 --> 00:00:11.199
Just envision it.
00:00:11.439 --> 00:00:14.160
What will your life look like in five years?
00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:15.439
What about ten?
00:00:16.079 --> 00:00:19.920
But almost no one is asking where you'll be in three months.
00:00:20.160 --> 00:00:25.359
And in reality, that's a far more important question to focus on right now.
00:00:25.760 --> 00:00:27.120
Hi, this is Jordana.
00:00:27.359 --> 00:00:31.359
I'm the CEO of the Recon Network and host of the In Brief podcast.
00:00:31.519 --> 00:00:40.799
And today we're talking about one of the most misunderstood parts of transition: the pressure to have a long-term plan when you barely have footing.
00:00:41.039 --> 00:00:54.960
We're going to talk about why long-term planning during early transition is a trap, why stabilization has to come before strategy, and why the immediate future, not the distant one, is where your attention needs to be right now.
00:00:56.799 --> 00:00:58.000
This is in brief.
00:00:58.159 --> 00:00:59.439
Let's get to it.
00:01:16.879 --> 00:01:19.200
Where do you see yourself in five years?
00:01:19.439 --> 00:01:25.920
And the assumption behind that question is that the answer to it defines whether or not you have stability.
00:01:26.079 --> 00:01:30.480
If you can't answer it clearly, it clearly means you don't have direction, right?
00:01:30.640 --> 00:01:32.879
You're not thinking strategically enough.
00:01:33.120 --> 00:01:35.680
But here's what that question misses.
00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:45.280
If you don't have stable footing right now, not only is that not a gavel on where you are currently, but planning five years out is useless.
00:01:45.519 --> 00:01:48.799
It's not just premature, it's counterproductive.
00:01:49.040 --> 00:02:06.000
That's because when you're in early transition, when you're still figuring out what civilian life actually feels like, and when your nervous system is still adjusting, trying to map out five years is like trying to plan a cross-country road trip when you don't even know if your car will start after all this time.
00:02:06.239 --> 00:02:13.199
In this situation, a long-term plan doesn't help you, just adds pressure to a system that's already overloaded.
00:02:13.439 --> 00:02:17.759
The reality is that you can't build a future when you don't have a foundation.
00:02:17.919 --> 00:02:21.039
And the next 90 days, that's foundational work.
00:02:21.280 --> 00:02:24.479
That's where you figure out how to function and how to stabilize.
00:02:24.719 --> 00:02:29.039
That means the next 90 days aren't for career trajectory or building wealth.
00:02:29.199 --> 00:02:35.599
They're not for finding your purpose or locking in your identity or becoming the person that you want to be for the rest of your life.
00:02:35.840 --> 00:02:40.000
The next 90 days are for one thing: stabilization.
00:02:40.400 --> 00:02:41.039
That's it.
00:02:41.280 --> 00:02:43.280
And stabilization is not glamorous.
00:02:43.360 --> 00:02:48.240
It is not impressive, but it is the one thing that makes everything else possible.
00:02:48.560 --> 00:02:56.960
Stabilization, as we might define it, looks like this: you build a routine, you start figuring out what your baseline needs are: sleep, food, movement, connection.
00:02:57.120 --> 00:03:02.319
You identify one or two people that you can talk to honestly as a supportive backboard.
00:03:02.479 --> 00:03:05.280
You get your finances to a place where you're not in crisis mode.
00:03:05.360 --> 00:03:08.080
You find work that keeps you moving and pays the bills.
00:03:08.240 --> 00:03:14.080
You create predictability and give your nervous system proof that the ground beneath you is not moving.
00:03:14.240 --> 00:03:16.240
It is solid enough to stand on.
00:03:16.639 --> 00:03:19.199
Now, of course, none of that sounds like progress.
00:03:19.360 --> 00:03:20.639
It's not glamorous.
00:03:20.719 --> 00:03:39.520
And when someone asks you the question of where do you want to be in five years or where are you going, it doesn't even really sound like you're building towards something, but you are, because you can't build anything meaningful when your system is a constant threat mode, and your system won't come out of threat mode until it has proof that you're stable.
00:03:39.840 --> 00:03:46.960
Now, when you leave the military, the clarity that comes with the structured plan and a structured career path disappears.
00:03:47.120 --> 00:03:50.560
And without that clarity, most people do one of two things.
00:03:50.719 --> 00:03:59.520
They either freeze because they can't see the path forward, or they force a plan into being because not having one feels unbearable.
00:03:59.840 --> 00:04:02.400
Both of those responses miss the point.
00:04:02.639 --> 00:04:05.199
The problem isn't not having a five-year plan.
00:04:05.360 --> 00:04:09.439
The problem is that you're trying to make one when you don't have data yet.
00:04:09.680 --> 00:04:12.000
You don't know what kind of work fits you.
00:04:12.159 --> 00:04:16.240
You don't know what your capacity is outside of the military structure.
00:04:16.319 --> 00:04:19.600
You don't know what your non-negotiables are because you haven't tested them.
00:04:19.839 --> 00:04:24.240
So any plan you make in this new lifestyle is just a guess.
00:04:24.399 --> 00:04:27.839
And when you're guessing under pressure, you can often be wrong.
00:04:28.160 --> 00:04:29.759
You assume you know what you want.
00:04:29.920 --> 00:04:34.720
You assume you know what will make you happy, you assume to know what kind of life you're building toward.
00:04:34.879 --> 00:04:41.040
But those assumptions are shaped by who you were in the military, not who you're becoming outside of it.
00:04:41.120 --> 00:04:46.079
And the gap between those two versions of yourself can be way bigger than you think.
00:04:46.319 --> 00:04:53.680
So when you lock yourself into a five-year plan too early, you're committing to a future based on incomplete information.
00:04:54.000 --> 00:05:02.240
And then a year later, when you realize the plan doesn't fit who you've become or who you're becoming, you feel like you failed and it's a setback.
00:05:02.399 --> 00:05:06.319
But you didn't fail, you just put ink to the plan too soon.
00:05:06.800 --> 00:05:10.000
So instead of asking, where will I be in five years?
00:05:10.160 --> 00:05:11.040
Ask this.
00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:14.959
What do I need to be stable 90 days from now?
00:05:15.199 --> 00:05:18.720
Not thriving, not successful, just stable.
00:05:18.959 --> 00:05:21.600
And what does stable look like for you?
00:05:22.000 --> 00:05:25.680
It often looks like having enough money coming in that you're not panicking every week.
00:05:25.920 --> 00:05:28.399
Looks like having a routine that keeps you functional.
00:05:28.560 --> 00:05:31.600
It looks like knowing who you can call when things get hard.
00:05:31.759 --> 00:05:43.040
And all of that might not sound ambitious, but stability is the most ambitious thing you can aim for in early transition because without it, every decision you make is reactive.
00:05:43.279 --> 00:05:45.680
Every move is survival-based.
00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:48.959
And survival-based decisions don't build a future.
00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:51.040
They just keep you from falling apart.
00:05:51.279 --> 00:06:01.279
So if you're in early transition of any kind, not even that of just leaving service, know that you're allowed to take time to narrow your focus and prioritize stability.
00:06:01.759 --> 00:06:07.680
In fact, doing so gives you a stable foundation to make a far wider range of decisions from.
00:06:07.839 --> 00:06:10.879
It doesn't make you short-sighted, it makes you strategic.
00:06:11.120 --> 00:06:23.279
And as a side note, if you need help with this, this is exactly the kind of work that the Recon Network was built for, to help you identify the gaps and fill them to create a stable foundation you can work from.
00:06:23.519 --> 00:06:31.199
In fact, our new app, Mark 20, was just designed to do the same thing to help you stabilize as you move through a life shift.
00:06:31.439 --> 00:06:41.360
But even on your own, narrowing your focus to what is important, filling those gaps is critical to give you a forward operating base you can work from in the future.
00:06:41.680 --> 00:06:48.879
Now, after 90 days, or whenever you're ready, because let's face it, life doesn't always adhere to our own timelines.
00:06:49.120 --> 00:06:52.560
But whenever you're stable, you can start thinking further out.
00:06:52.720 --> 00:06:57.519
You can start asking the bigger questions, start experimenting, start planning.
00:06:57.759 --> 00:07:03.279
But then you're doing it from a place of stability instead of a place of panic or uncertainty.
00:07:03.519 --> 00:07:10.079
And those plans, I promise you, will look completely different than plans made while you're in survival mode.
00:07:10.240 --> 00:07:17.920
They're clearer, they're more aligned, they're based on what you actually need instead of what you think you're supposed to want.
00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:20.000
So here's what I want you to do.
00:07:20.160 --> 00:07:25.680
For now, forget about the next five years and just focus on the next 90 days.
00:07:26.000 --> 00:07:29.040
What do you need to be stable three months from now?
00:07:29.439 --> 00:07:32.720
Notice that I didn't say successful, not impressive.
00:07:32.959 --> 00:07:34.319
Just stable.
00:07:34.800 --> 00:07:39.360
Focus on that because the next 90 days aren't about building your future.
00:07:39.519 --> 00:07:42.800
They're about building a foundation that makes a future possible.
00:07:43.360 --> 00:07:49.920
Now, long-term planning definitely has its place, but not in early transition when your system is still adjusting.
00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:52.879
You don't need a five-year plan right now.
00:07:53.120 --> 00:07:55.360
You need 90 days of solid ground.
00:07:55.519 --> 00:07:59.680
And once you have that, the rest will all fall into place.
00:08:17.040 --> 00:08:29.120
From our annual VET Summit to online workshops and even in-person local events, we provide real training, real conversations, and practical insights you can use the same day.
00:08:29.279 --> 00:08:34.159
With a goal to get you the tools you need to find direction and meaning now.
00:08:34.799 --> 00:08:38.799
So if you don't know what you want or where you want to go, no worries.
00:08:38.960 --> 00:08:41.120
There's no cost, no pressure.
00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:43.519
Just support when you need it.
00:08:43.759 --> 00:08:49.679
So find your next event at recon.bet and join us for something new.
