Originally published at Walk Humble on May 21, 2026.
I believe in vision, goals, and dreaming big about the future. But I also think thoughtful leaders can become so future-driven that they neglect the kind of person they are becoming on the way there.
This essay explores the tension between long-range planning and inner formation, asking a better question than where you want to be in five years: what kind of person will be able to carry the future you say you want?
A five-year plan can clarify your direction. It cannot form your character.
Vision is helpful. Virtue is essential. If the future matters, then the self who walks into that future matters too.