Advice from Alice in Wonderland

Oftentimes before students start the Student Launch Pad program, they have changed their minds multiple times on what they want to do, how they view what they are good at, and where they see themselves in the future.

With these frequent changes of heart, it is easy for students to dismiss the importance of envisioning their future. They think, “Why map out action steps to reach future goals when I might change my mind again?”

This thinking can make students immobilized and not able to decide what action to take. Or, it causes them to be mobilized in the wrong direction because they have not thought through where they actually want to be in the future.

In Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland, the Cheshire Cat and Alice have the following conversation:

Cat: Where are you going?
Alice: Which way should I go?
Cat: That depends on where you are going.
Alice: I don’t know.
Cat: Then it doesn’t matter which way you go.

If we were to take the Cat’s advice, as long as we were not sure about our next steps, we would not need to make decisions about where we want our future to go.

However, even if you don’t know which direction you should be headed, it does matter what way you go. There are critical actions you can be taking now as you figure out future plans.

As Alice lets us know, “I could tell you my adventures — beginning from this morning… but it’s no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.” 

Click here to continuing reading on Student Launch Pad's blog for the five key steps to get you started heading in the right direction for your future – even when you’re not sure where you want to end up...