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I tell my clients to think about explorers like Lewis and Clark. Their commission from President Jefferson was open-ended but they knew it would take years to travel to the Pacific and back. But they made, and frequently adjusted, clear plans for each stage: reach the next fort, decide which fork of the river to take, or cross a mountain range.

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Nice analogy Douglas.

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Love the idea of a 10-year plan.

I've typically only done 1 or 2 years. Do you have any recommended resources or examples to see what a 10-year plan done right looks like?

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I have a (somewhat vague at this point) ten-year plan leading up to retirement. My goal is for my wife and I to move into the writing/publishing space, with me working primarily as a writer, and she as an editor. If we're successful enough in that post-retirement career to be able to spend 8-10 weeks a year traveling, I'll consider it a huge success.

This article has definitely made me stop and think about our goals, and what we will need to achieve them. I sat down in December and tried to plot out this year; that all got derailed somewhere in early January. Though in a good way! If that sort of thing continues, I will have to learn to leave room in my schedule for the expected unexpecteds.

I've got several opportunities this year to sit down with experienced authors/editors to talk business and craft. I am going to try to come up with a quick, realistic ten-year plan that I can share with them & get some feedback on.

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