Imagining Three Possible Futures: The Power of the Odyssey Plan
When I first discovered the Odyssey Plan, I was struck by its simplicity and its power.
It’s a tool, developed by Professors Bill Burnett and Dave Evans (Stanford University’s design program), that invites you to imagine not one, but three different futures for yourself.
As adults, we often narrow our view of what’s possible. We follow a path that makes sense, the one we’ve built, invested in, and that others expect from us. Yet there’s rarely just one version of our future waiting ahead.
The Odyssey Plan helps open that perspective again.
It asks you to design three possible lives for the next five years:
The logical one: the path you’re already on, continuing to grow in the same direction.
The alternative: something you’ve thought about but haven’t dared to explore yet.
The wild one: a complete reimagining, if there were no limits, what would you do?
When I work on an Odyssey Plan with my clients, the first reaction is often practical: “Three versions of my life? I barely have time to think about one.”
Yet once people start sketching ideas, something shifts. The exercise doesn’t ask for big decisions, only for curiosity.
I use it as one of several tools, alongside the CliftonStrengths assessment and values exploration, to help people take a step back, look at their trajectory with perspective, and reconnect with what gives direction and meaning to their choices.
It’s less about inventing new paths than about surfacing what’s already there: things you’ve considered, dismissed, or quietly postponed. Seeing them side by side often makes patterns visible, what keeps coming back, what feels energizing, and what no longer fits.
What emerges from the exercise
“The secret to happiness in life design isn’t making the right choice; it’s learning to choose well.” (Burnett & Evans)
What really emerges from it is:
Gathering & Creating Options
Prototyping them
Choosing
Fully embracing the decision
A plan that isn’t about planning
The Odyssey Plan is a reminder that life doesn’t have to be linear. We evolve, circumstances change, and so do our priorities. Imagining several futures is not a sign of indecision; it’s a sign of awareness.
As Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “Plans are worthless, but planning is everything.”
