I probably need a plan of some sort...

I have one daughter in college and another who will be starting in less than six months, and I feel like I should be providing them more in the way of career advice and guidance.

The problem is that I have no idea what to tell them. I never received much advice myself, so I've always just kind of winged it when it has come to the world of work.

Job interviewers will occasionally ask you, "So where do you see yourself in five years?" And I don't know what to say, because I honestly don't know where I see myself in five minutes.

Which in some sense is OK, right? You always hear how you should live in the moment and not worry about anything but today. And I'm really good at that.

But I think looking ahead to the future is also a pretty good idea, and I rarely do it. I am so absolutely caught up in getting through the here and now that I lack the time, energy and focus to plan for anything beyond that.

This is somewhat reflected at work, where as a director-level employee I'm expected to be forward-thinking and strategic. Yet what I'm really good at is getting things done. Checking boxes on the to-do list. Making it to the end of the day with as many things in the "finished" pile as possible.

Co-workers will ask me, "What's your plan for that?" My answer is usually, "Um, let me get back to you." And I do eventually get back to them with plans that are (surprisingly to me, anyway) pretty good. Which shows that I have the ability, just not the inclination.

Anyway, when it comes time for me to offer fatherly career advice to the kids, I'm kind of at a loss. If I don't chart out my own path, I'm certainly not the guy who should be mapping out someone else's.

I mean, I have some idea of where I'm going with my career: retirement. At what age, and whether that will even be possible, are both unknown to me. As are the details of just how I'm going to get there. My general intention is to keep working, saving money when I can, and finding some as-yet murky way to stop working so I can retire and do...something else I'm not sure about.

You see what I mean? I'm kind of directionless. Just get the kids raised and safely into their own lives, that's pretty much the extent of my "plan." Beyond that, I think my life will eventually also involve going to more hockey games and orchestral concerts.

And...that's about all I have.

If someone would like to offer life guidance and career planning services to my kids, I would be ever so grateful.