How to plan your life
Where are you going? What’s the next stop on your journey through life? How are you going to put your precious time to use? These are big, meaningful questions, so let’s find some big, meaningful answers.
We’ll take a close look at what you really want, what’s important and then what you have to do.
Why do we need this? The answer is simple. It’s easy get to swept along by the tide of a busy, modern life and find ourselves a long way from where we hoped we’d be. With so many demands on us, it can also feel like we’re living someone else’s life.
I’m going to suggest some unique ways to approach this. You’re sure to be surprised when you start thinking about these things and see how they come together to give you a clear path forward.
I’ll be suggesting some helpful exercises in this post if you’d like to take it a step further. You can complete them while you read it or head back to them when you have time. It’s up to you.
In the end, you’ll be left with an outline that should give you a sense of direction in the days ahead. Here are three easy things you can do right now to help you plan your life.
Think about your intentions
What do you really want to do? Don’t be afraid, dare to dream. This could be anything, so get thinking.
You should also get these ideas on paper, or on the device you’re using. You could even try separating them into categories. Make sure you include any projects or hobbies that have always been there in the background.
Think carefully. What are your ambitions? What is that thing you always wanted to do, what is that change you wanted to make and what have you always dreamed about getting?
Are there any skills you’d like to acquire and what are the things you’d like to achieve in your career? Do you want to be your own boss at some point? It’s your list.
This exercise should give you a good idea of what’s important to you. A glimpse at the road ahead. We need to keep our feet on the ground though, as a lot these things won’t appear without hard work and direction.
In the words of Zig Ziglar, “people do not wander around and then find themselves at the top of Mount Everest”.
Think about your values
Now we’ve thought about the road ahead, let’s take a look back. What’s really important to you? What do you want to do a lot more of in future?
Before we go on, we really need to pause for a second and remember that we’re all different. Some people may value money, career advancement and their reputation. Others may focus on helping other people, devoting time to family or honing a skill or a craft.
What’s important to you? Do you want to spend your days ahead building something or acquiring something? Do you work so you can do other things, like take holidays, and what would you do if you didn’t have to?
How do you want to spend your time? Do you like to stay in or go out? More importantly, who do you want to spend your time with?
Like before, you can create a list and divide it into key areas. You could think carefully about why you work and what’s important about it. You could also think about the type of people you’re drawn to and what really takes your interest.
This exercise should give you a good idea of the things you should prioritise. It also gives you an idea of the things that will probably lead to happiness, fulfilment and joy. The things that make life special and the things we often overlook.
Just remember to focus on what you want. In the words of Steve Jobs, “your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life”.
Think about your obligations
Although it’s been fun dreaming, this next bit will bring us back down to earth. All these exciting plans have to come crashing against something inevitable. The things you have to do, that you often can’t escape.
They’re not all bad though, and a lot depends on how you look at them.
Like everything else we’ve covered, we will all have different obligations. We all need to do things to get through most days, like eating, cleaning and travelling. Some of us have children and most of us need to spend quality time with the people we love. These are things we really need to do and often, they are the things we really want to do.
Where does your time go? Have you ever really thought about it? Let’s get some ideas on that bit of paper or that device.
Again, it will help to put things into categories. While you’re doing this, it can be a great opportunity to carefully consider your priorities. You could also take time to think about how you could perhaps make things more efficient.
Don’t be negative about this, as it can lead to something special. We should already see opportunities. More importantly, we can see what’s on our plate and be very realistic. This can also keep us focussed.
Remember the words of John Lennon "life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans”.
How do you feel now? When you’ve taken time to consider your intentions, values and obligations, you can start to carefully manage the most valuable thing most people have. Time, your time.
For a lot people, time can actually be more valuable than money. A lot of people give it away to other people without thinking though. They forget they have a choice.
What will you choose? What direction will you go in?
You should have a good starting point after this, but there’s something important I’d like you to consider. The world around you won’t be following your plans. You will often need to be flexible. This whole post is about giving you a direction. One that could lead to different places. My advice is to be flexible and keep adapting.
Remember one of my favourite quotes, “no battle plan survives contact with the enemy”.
This exercise isn’t about focussing on reaching a specific destination, it’s about enjoying the journey. It’s about working out what’s important and prioritising it whenever you can. It should make a difference.