look down the road

1. Literally, to gaze along the length of a street into the distance. I started to panic when I looked down the road and could no longer see my dog. Just look down the road—you'll see the pharmacy up ahead on the corner.

2. To consider and prepare for the future. I know you're young, but you really need to start looking down the road and saving for retirement. The teams that consistently do well look down the road whenever they draft players or make trades. I try to live in the present and enjoy what I have in life. I find looking too far down the road can often be a source of anxiety.