Many people begin planning out their lives from the moment they finish high school. Most believe that they will go to college, obtain their degree, get a good job and slowly work their way up the ranks. However, most of the time, our lives do not go according to plan, meaning that it is challenging to determine precisely what will happen in our future. 

For this reason, it is recommended that you do not always plan your life out. If you do, you are likely to be met with disappointment at one stage or another. Instead, we will be discussing three helpful and spontaneous ways in which you can move forward with your future. 

The Planned Happenstance Theory

The planned happenstance theory encourages us to be open-minded when it comes to our future. It speaks about how unplanned events could be seen as opportunities. For example, you may meet someone who is the owner of a company you would love to work for. 

You could never have planned on meeting this person years before, meaning that it is an unplanned event. However, if they offer you a job, you should definitely take it – even though it may not be part of your ‘life plan’. 

This theory mentions a few skills that we need to develop to make the most out of our situation. These include:

• Curiosity
• Persistence
• Flexibility
• Risk-taking
• Optimism

Make Use Of A Career Service Center

To help you determine where you want to go in the future, you could use a career service center. In short, they will be able to assist you with the following:

• Taking career assessments
• Discovering new possibilities
• Developing your brand
• Connecting with potential employers

Chaos Theory Of Careers

It is essential to understand that life isn’t a linear pattern. Instead, you are likely to face ups and downs, meaning that you may find yourself straying off the path when it comes to your ‘career plan’. 

The chaos theory of careers discusses the importance of flexibility. This quality will enable us to deal with unexpected changes. On top of flexibility, this theory also mentions the importance of being open-minded, taking small steps, seeking new experiences, thinking about the big picture, and obtaining feedback from professionals.  

Concluding Thoughts

When it comes to our futures, there is very little that we can plan. While we may know exactly what we want to do, it is not always possible to achieve that. For this reason, we must keep an open mind. The theories of planned happenstance and chaos describe the importance of flexibility and optimism.