Thinking in Decades

What is thinking in decades?

This is not at all new. In eastern philosophy there is a method which you divide a 100-year human life into decades. First -> childhood. second -> play hood, third -> Beauty, youth, fourth -> power etc etc. However, I recently came across similar concept, where why we should think in decades. If you have read my previous article about next hour, I emphasize that why we should think about next hour and next hour only. But as you can see thinking about a decade ahead is paradoxical to that? Not at all. I will explain why it is not paradoxical and even contrarily wise to do that with 3 reasons.

Bob Marley

Why we should think in decades?

I call this a new way of prioritizing your life. Imagine the important stuff in your life you are planning to do today. If it doesn't matter in 10 years, why does it matter now? Maybe you should start doing things which matters to your position in 10 years time. It may be time at the university, a commitment to a relationship, a decision you have been postponing to peruse a passion to become a piano player. Imagine you have excelled that new skill 10 years. 10000 hours. (approx 3 hours per day) Where you would be when that happen. Unless you are in the last decade of life, you would be in a happy place. Did you know this is exactly what is meant to prioritize important tasks above urgent tasks in Eisenhower prioritization principle? Do the thing which matters in 10 years. And do it every day.

What happens when you think in decades?

Thinking in decades is not only a prioritization principle. It is also a tool for lessen the anxiety if you started to think in days or weeks. Just like thinking in an hour doesn't allow you to think about consequences thinking in decades deviate your target so far, that you cannot see a meaningful progress in your current task. For someone who is practicing a creative skill or a task, this reduces the performance anxiety. And you are free to experiment and not have a progression at all. Can fully engage in the task without thinking about the outcome. Only thing which matters in that case is the persistent repetitive action. Like a muscle which slowly accumulate strength and form, your skill will develop after some time. It is inevitable that happen, as you're executing a tiny step of a long-term plan.

Be careful what you wish for!

This also leads to the third point I want to discuss in this article. Which is if and when you are thinking in decades, you just have to be well aware of your current choices. Whatever you are choosing to do, you are going to do it for decades. Will you be happy being in your current job for a decade? will you be happy somewhere else in your relationship? Will you feel fulfilled if you built a house? Or you could travel the countryside in a Mobile. I do not know what that is you're choosing to do. But make sure you are feeling fresh and powerful when you are doing it today. Then only you will be able to do it for a decade. And nobody will be able to stop you. Even if it is yourself.

Imagine bob Marley, Bill gates, and George W bush. Will these guys quit music, being entrepreneurs or being politician, if you ask them to do? No, they loved what they were doing. That is the key. Find that thing you would do for a decade and make yourself a little bit happy every day.