"Where do you see yourself in 10 years?"

I've found, the older I get, the less I seem to care for career and wage, while my peers trend in the opposite direction. We're obsessed with safe jobs, medium-sized houses, and 401ks. So much so, that employers have the gall to ask us, "Where do you see yourself in 10 years?"

And we have such little courage, such small withered souls, that we answer, "In an upper-level management position, of course!"

When I dream of the next decade or so of my life, my career and 401k are not a part of that vision; even less so is an upper-level management position at a company that doesn't care for me all that much. It's a ridiculous question, asking a 20-something where they will be when they're 30 or 40.

In a decade, I hope to be sitting on my front porch, braiding my daughter’s hair while yelling at my oldest son to break up the brawl that started between his younger brothers. I pray, that I will be making my wife breakfast in bed. Where do I see myself in 10 years? Hiking in the woods, a couple of German shepherd-pitbull mixes in tow. I can tell you exactly where I'll be, every Sunday morning 10 years from now. I can tell you I will still carry a Bible with me, and still be preaching the good news. In 10 years time, I'll have written at least one other book. A decade from now, I will be a husband, a father, a son, a brother, and a child of the King.

Stop planning your life around your career. Be damn good at it: Be the best salesman, electrician, plumber, accountant, engineer, or whatever you so choose, but stop planning around it. We were designed for more, called to more, than being a good employee that makes someone else exceedingly wealthy.

Remember that you are a character in a real adventure saga. One that spans for generations and generations. The merit of your character, your arc, and your adventure, will not be judged based on the vastness of your 401k.

Bilbo Baggin’s adventure was not great because he came back with gold or even The One Ring. We love Bilbo's adventure so much because it was amid grit and grime, death, and uncertain odds, that Bilbo found his courage. The little hobbit, the gardener who had settled for comfort, chose to strap and sword to his hip. He chose to do battle with goblins, duel with the wits of strangers, slip past elves, and march into the den of a dragon.

So, in ten years, see yourself going there and back again. See yourself on an adventure. Of course, Master Baggins of Bag End did come back home with a chest of gold. There was nothing wrong with that. In fact, it made it so that he could afford to throw a spectacular going away party and go spend the rest of his days with elvish folk, writing stories and living comfortably. Those are all good things. Biblo, however, didn't leave Bag End with those things in mind. Those neat little bonuses were not the point of his adventure, and they must not be the focus of your adventure.

“I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging, and it's very difficult to find anyone.'

I should think so — in these parts! We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner!” - J.R.R Tolkien, The Hobbit.