when someone mentions a five-year career plan, most people either reach for a notebook or roll their eyes and reach for the remote. The term sounds like something a motivational speaker yells at you right before asking you to buy their course for $199.99 (but wait—there’s more!).
Yet, whether you’re an overachiever with colour-coded planners or a ‘let’s-see-how-it-goes’ kind of person, building a five-year career plan isn’t just motivational fluff—it’s one of the smartest things you can do for your future. And no, it doesn’t require vision boards, sage burning, or sacrificing goats under a full moon.
So let’s break it down with facts. By the end of this essay, you’ll either have a five-year plan or five minutes of laughter—and honestly, both are progress.
Step 1: Start With Brutal Honesty—What Do You Really Want?
According to a Gallup poll, 85% of people worldwide hate their jobs. That’s not a typo. It means 8.5 out of every 10 adults would rather be doing something else, possibly sleeping.
So, ask yourself: Do I want to climb the corporate ladder, launch my own business, become a respected teacher, or just earn enough to eat shawarma every Friday without checking my bank balance?
Here’s the deal—your career plan won’t work if it’s based on what society expects or what your Uncle Sanni did in 1974. It has to be based on you, your values, and your dreams. Want to be a farmer and grow the world’s best hibiscus? Plan it. Want to be a software developer with your own app? Plot it. Want to be the best Islamic fiction writer in Nigeria? Let’s build that empire.
Step 2: Know Where You Are—The GPS of Your Career
You can’t get to Abuja from Lagos without knowing where you’re starting from, unless you’re okay with ending up in Benin (beautiful place, wrong destination).
Assess your current situation:
- What skills do you have?
- What experience is under your belt?
- What resources (networks, money, certifications) are available to you?
Be realistic, if you’re dreaming of becoming a data analyst but your current skills are limited to opening Excel and panicking, then you’ve got some groundwork to do. But that’s okay—everyone starts somewhere. Even Elon Musk started with hair loss and awkward interviews.
Step 3: Set SMART Goals—Because Vague Plans Are Just Daydreams in Uniform
Saying “I want to be rich” is not a plan, it’s a fantasy. Saying “I want to earn 5 million naira per year as a UX designer by 2029 through freelancing and full-time work” is a plan. See the difference?
Use the SMART formula:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Time-bound
Each year of your plan should have clear milestones. Want to be a public speaker?
- First year, learn public speaking.
- Second year, join Toastmasters.
- Third year, speak at one event.
- Fourth year, host a seminar.
- Fifth year, get paid to speak.
Step 4: Learn Like Your Future Depends on It—Because It Does
According to LinkedIn Learning, the most in-demand soft skills are communication, adaptability, and time management. The most in-demand hard skills? Data analysis, coding, and digital marketing.
If your career plan requires new skills—and it will—you’ve got to commit to learning. Not just YouTube and TikTok “how-to” videos (although those help), but serious structured learning: online courses, certifications, internships, mentorship.
You want to be irreplaceable. Not like your grandmother’s TV that nobody can throw away, but like a rare diamond in a world full of glass.
Step 5: Network Like a Human Being, Not a Walking CV
Networking is just a fancy word for “talking to people who can help you, and not being weird about it.”
Go to industry events. Attend webinars. Join groups. Send that email. Ask for that coffee meeting. Don’t just shout “Please hire me!” in the comment section of LinkedIn posts like a drowning man in a flood.
85% of jobs are filled through networking. Not applications. Not job boards. Networking.
So, make real connections. Be kind. Offer value. Follow up. Sometimes your big break doesn’t come from a job ad—it comes from a conversation at an airport or a WhatsApp group message that says “Hey, we’re hiring.”
Step 6: Track Your Progress Like a Fitness Trainer With Trust Issues
Every six months, sit down and review your progress. Have you achieved what you planned for that period? Are your goals still relevant? Did you take a detour or just lose focus by watching K-dramas? (We’ve all been there.)
Reflection isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. You won’t get to Year 5 if you keep forgetting Year 1.
Make a habit of journaling or using a career tracking app. Celebrate small wins: finished a course? Celebrate. Got your first client? Do a little dance. Didn’t get fired? Hey, progress!
Step 7: Expect Detours, Delays, and Drama
Now, for a little dose of reality. Your five-year plan is not a rigid, holy scroll. It’s a guide. Life will happen. You might get a new job, lose one, get married, move cities, discover a hidden passion, or face unforeseen challenges (hello, 2020 and COVID).
The key? Flexibility. Adjust, adapt, re-strategize. If your plan takes a detour, don’t throw it away—re-route it.
Think of it like Google Maps. If one road is blocked, it finds another. It doesn’t just give up and say, “You know what? Let’s just stay here and live on this street forever.”
Conclusion
A 5-Year Plan is Not a Magic Wand, but It’s close, let’s land this plane.
Creating a five-year career plan won’t guarantee success, fame, or a Range Rover. But it gives you a map, a strategy, and most importantly, clarity. Without a plan, you’ll drift. With a plan, you’ll drive.
It’s okay if the plan changes. It’s okay if you stumble. What’s not okay is waking up five years later wondering, “How did I get here?”
So, take a day. Take a notebook. Take a deep breath. Then sketch out where you want to be, and how to get there. It’s not rocket science—it’s life science.
And hey—if nothing else, five years from now, Future You will be so grateful you did.
Bonus Tip: Don’t forget to pray (supplication). Hustle, yes. But pray too. After all, the best career plan includes the ultimate CEO—God
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