I Cut Up a Magazine… and It Changed the Way I Think About the FutureYesterday, I found myself doing something I hadn’t done in years. I sat down with a pile of old magazines, a pair of scissors, glue, and a blank board.No laptop. No AI. No Canva. Just paper, pictures, and my thoughts.

At first, it felt a little childish.Then something interesting happened.As I flipped through the pages, I realised I wasn’t looking for expensive cars or designer handbags. I wasn’t searching for private jets or luxury holidays either.Instead, my hands kept reaching for different things.

A quiet living room. Trees. A heart. The words “Wake Up.””The Simple Things.””Next Big Thing.” I cut them out without overthinking.When I finally stepped back to look at the finished mood board, it wasn’t just a collage.It was a mirror.

It reflected who I have become. A few years ago, if someone had asked me what success looked like, I probably would have talked about money.Today? My answer is completely different. Success is waking up without anxiety. Success is doing meaningful work. Success is having enough time for my family. Success is building something that outlives me. Success is sleeping peacefully at night because I know I didn’t compromise my values just to get ahead.

That little phrase on my board…”The Simple Things.”Those three words hit me the hardest. Because somewhere along the journey, many of us start believing life has to become more complicated before it becomes meaningful. We chase bigger. Faster. More. Another qualification. Another promotion. Another achievement. Another possession. And while there’s absolutely nothing wrong with ambition, I think many of us quietly forget what we were actually chasing in the first place.

Peace.Purpose.Love.Time.Those things don’t always come with bigger salaries.Sometimes they come with better priorities.

The words “Wake Up” also stood out.Not because I was asleep.But because life has a funny way of putting us on autopilot.Wake up.Wake up to what truly matters.Wake up to the people who genuinely care about you.Wake up to your health before your body forces you to.Wake up to opportunities you’ve been postponing because you’re waiting for the “perfect time.”Wake up before another year quietly slips away.

Then there was “Next Big Thing.”I smiled when I glued those words onto the board. People often assume the next big thing has to be some massive breakthrough. Maybe. But I’ve learned something.The next big thing usually starts as the next small thing.One conversation.One application.One skill.One decision.One uncomfortable step.Before anyone celebrates your success, they’ll probably overlook those tiny moments that made it possible.That’s where growth really happens.Quietly.Consistently.Without applause.

And finally…The heart.That wasn’t about romance alone.It reminded me to protect my heart.To choose people who celebrate me instead of merely tolerating me.To invest my energy where it is valued.To love what I do.To build relationships that bring peace instead of constant drama.Because no amount of professional success can compensate for a life filled with unnecessary battles.Creating this mood board reminded me that vision isn’t about predicting the future.It’s about giving your future a direction.You don’t need to know every step.You simply need to know what kind of life you’re walking towards.

Five years from now, I don’t know exactly where I’ll be.I don’t know what opportunities will come.I don’t know what challenges I’ll face. But I do know this.I want a life filled with purpose.I want peace more than pressure. Growth more than comparison. Meaning more than attention. And I never want to become so busy chasing the next big thing that I forget to enjoy the simple things.

So today, I’m asking you the same question I asked myself while holding those scissors.If you could cut out only five pictures or words to represent your next five years, what would they be? Sometimes, your future becomes clearer when you stop writing goals… and start seeing them.