Why do I feel stuck when I try to plan beyond the next few months?

You're probably trying to see the future clearly, and the more you strain, the more it vanishes. That's not a flaw in you—it's the nature of time itself. You can't control what hasn't happened yet. But you can tend the conditions. The mistake most people make is thinking that long-term planning means detailed prediction. It doesn't. It means clarity about direction, not destination. When you ask 'what do I want in five years?' you're likely asking the wrong question. Ask instead: 'what kind of problems do I want to be solving? What rhythm of life do I need? Who do I want to become in the process?' That stuckness you feel? It often means your current pace or path doesn't align with something deeper. Not that you need a better plan—you need permission to notice what's actually true right now. Try this: instead of planning forward, look backward. What has consistently mattered to you over the last three years? What have you protected time for? What do you regret not doing? That pattern is your real compass. It won't predict the future, but it will show you the current that's been carrying you all along. Where does that current actually want to go?