7 Life Planning Strategies That Really Work
Photo Credit: Greg Rakozy
Living on Purpose is a Magical Way to Live
Of all the personal development strategies I use and love, life planning tends to be neglected more than anything.
Why? Because I’m just like everyone else — I let the emergencies of the day hold me back from taking the time I need to clearly visualize the big picture.
On the other hand, of all the personal development strategies I use and love the most, writing down my goals is #1.
So, if we combine these two together, having a written life plan (that is reviewed regularly) could be a phenomenal solution to many of life’s big and scary dilemmas.
My Life Plan
All the strategies listed here are ones that I have personally used and I review each of them every few months. I created a virtual notebook called “My Life Plan” and I have a note for each one of these strategies.
Each strategy offers a slightly different perspective and should help you to see your own life in new and fascinating ways. These strategies are only useful if applied — meaning that reading the list and doing nothing will result in nothing.
Schedule a couple of hours at the end of the week to review at least one of these strategies in detail. Then create a short action plan that you can implement quickly. These are 7 life planning strategies that really work.
The big picture of life is lived out in the tiny moments like this one.
1. Clarity of Existence
For each of the following categories, answer the question with as much certainty as possible. There is no right or wrong answer, but there are good responses and better ones. Over time, review your answers and make them better.
Identity: Who are you?
Purpose: Why are you here?
Mission: What is your specific assignment? What were you born to do? What makes you feel the most alive? What is the one thing you hope to be remembered for? And what are you doing today to make sure that you are remembered for it?
Vision: What does the accomplishment of your mission look like? What are the tactics you will employ?
Values: What characteristics do you value the most?
Goals: What are your specific objectives, both strategic and tactical? What is your timeline to accomplish these goals?
Here is my personal Statement of Purpose:
To live consciously and with great intention;
To ambitiously and passionately pursue personal growth;
To break through barriers in search of truth and freedom;
To embrace challenges with patience and wisdom;
To share faith, give hope, and spread love;
To positively influence and inspire others;
To joyfully and courageously explore my limitless potential; and
To love radically, serve sacrificially, and give extravagantly.
2. The North Star Approach
Decide upon your ‘North Star’ and create a bucket list of big goals you would like to achieve along the way.
As I discussed in Episode #024 of the podcast, The North Star Approach is a strategy where you set a goal that may sound too big to ever accomplish in two years, let alone one.
You want it to be so big that you smile and cry just a little at the same time. I always choose one insane goal per year to be my North Star.
I let this crazy dream guide my decision-making and goal setting throughout the upcoming months. I then continually ask myself throughout the year, “are my daily choices leading me closer to my North Star goal or farther away?”
A Better Bucket List
In addition to creating a North Star goal for the year, it can be immensely beneficial to create one for your entire life. Then create a bucket list of audacious goals you would like to accomplish along your journey.
The bucket list can be a traditional list of items (skydiving, writing a book, adopting 3 kids, etc.), but it can also be a focused list of overly ambitious goals with a theme directly related to your life’s North Star.
3. Success Notebook
Create a physical or virtual notebook to collect your thoughts and ideas about what success means to you.
During my first job after college I was asked to create a Success Notebook. There were guidelines and suggestions as to what I could include, but ultimately it was up to me to put together a compilation of ideas, concepts, and advice related to personal and professional achievement.
In my notebook I included important concepts to remember such as “be so good they can’t ignore you” and “action is the only path to results.”
I also recorded as many inspirational quotes as I could. This is one of my favorite: “I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor.” – Henry David Thoreau
I also thoroughly defined success, listed out great habits I wanted to secure, and wrote out everything in my life I could directly control and strongly influence.
The end result was a rather large document on my computer filled with timeless advice and inspiration that I still find valuable years later.
4. When Life Works List
Write a list of activities you love, attributes you value, or characteristics about yourself you are proud of that remind you what life looks like when it’s going well. Then schedule those items first on your calendar.
While listening to the SUCCESS Magazine CD a year ago I heard Darren Hardy interviewing Sean Stephenson. Sean is an incredibly unique guy who has an addictive joy for life that you can’t miss.
Sean developed a list that included everything that makes his life work well. It’s an incredibly simple idea that can spark a lot of change in your daily habits.
I recommend you watch Sean explain his When Life Works List.
You will likely want to emulate his enthusiasm by creating your own list immediately. That’s what I did. 😉
Big Rocks: In combination with the When Life Works List, Steven Covey’s famous Big Rocks analogy fits in well. Once you know what life looks like when it’s working well, it only makes sense to schedule those items first on your calendar.
This will guarantee they take priority over the other distractions and emergencies that always show up.
When you know what matters to you and you ensure those things are given your full attention, the lesser things just don’t survive.
5. Your Vital Few
Write down the top three tasks in your life that cannot be outsourced, delegated, or deleted. Those are your vital few. These items will directly dictate what you do with your time, money, energy, and resources for the rest of your life.
In order to clearly establish what you should do with your time, you need to first figure out what you should not be doing.
There are always tasks on our to-do list and goals on our bucket list that can be eliminated completely or even given to someone else to achieve.
A life well lived is one where the unique skills and attributes of any person are leveraged, maximized, and put to use in their highest form as often as possible.
Your vital few are those one, two, or three attributes that you cannot outsource, delegate, or delete because they belong to you, and you alone. Figure out what those are and devote your life to doing those things to be the best of your ability.
6. Vision Board
Create a physical board and hang it on a wall in your home. Fill the board with images, quotes, and inspirational clippings of anything you want to achieve, become, or experience. Look at the board every day and direct your daily actions towards these big goals.
I bought a large cork board a few years ago and hung it on the wall of my home office. I filled the board with magazine cutouts, printed pictures I found online, and newspaper clippings of success stories.
Whenever I found anything about who I wanted to be, what I wanted to achieve, or what I desired to experience, I found a way to include a physical representation of it on my vision board.
I looked at the board every day for a year and I asked myself if I was any closer to achieving these goals or if I was off-track.
Vision boards are simple and powerful. They provide a clear visual of any desired outcome and they do change behavior one day at a time.
7. Formal Life Plan
Create a detailed, formal list of what you want your life to look like in each major area you choose (physical health, spirituality, relationships, finances, career, etc.).
Michael Hyatt is easily one of the most inspirational men in my life. Though I have never met him in person, I have learned more from him than most people.
He created a Life Plan eBook that walks you through his life planning process in a simple step-by-step format.
In his process he discusses how to choose specific outcomes, priorities, and actions plans for each major area of life. The goal is to be intentional about what you pursue and to follow-up and review your goals on a regular basis.
The simple act of creating the plan even just once is remarkable. I personally achieved greater clarity and focus on who I was and what I wanted from my life just by following the steps.
Pick One and Go
Having a life plan is an excellent way to map out your future and ensure you are always heading in the direction you want to go.
Today, just pick one of these strategies and schedule an hour or two to think through the exercises. None of these are overly time-consuming, but all have the power to transform your perspective on your own life.
