Strategies for Planning (Part 1)

Planning sets you free. When you set goals and manage time, your life does not just happen by chance. You are on equal terms with the greatest sculptor, painter, or playwright. More than creating a work of art, you are designing life.

Without planning we fall prey to simply “digging in” – frantic activity with uncertain results. Planning replaces this with clearly defined outcomes and next action steps.

An effective plan is flexible, not carved in stone. You can change your plans frequently and still preserve the advantages of planning – choosing your overall direction and taking charge of your life. And even when other people set the goal, you can choose how to achieve it.

Planning is a self-creative venture that lasts for a lifetime. I am listing in my blog eight ways to get the most from this process. The first four are suggestions about goal setting. The rest are about the details of scheduling activities based on your goals.

1. Back up to a bigger picture. When choosing activities for the day or week, take some time to lift your eyes to the horizon. Step back for a few minutes and consider your longer – range goals – what you want to accomplish in the next six months, the next year, the next five years, and beyond. Ask whether the activities you’re about to schedule actually contribute to those goals. If they do, great some items from your calendar or to-do list to make room for goal-related activities. See if you can free up at least one hour each day for doing something you love instead of putting it off to a more “reasonable” or “convenient” time.

2. Look boldly for things to change. It`s fascinating to note the areas that are off-limits when people set goals. Money, sex, career, marriage, and other topics can easily fall into the category “I’ll just have to live with this.”

When creating your future, open up your thinking about what aspects of your life can be changed and what cannot. Be willing to put every fact of your life on the table. Staying open-minded can lead to a future you never dreamed was possible.

3. Look for what’s missing – and what to maintain. Goals often arise from a sense of what’s missing in our lives. Goal setting is fueled by unresolved problems. Incomplete projects, relationships we want to develop, and careers we still want to pursue.

However, not all planning has to spring from a sense of need. You can set goals to maintain things that you already have, or to keep doing the effective things that you already do. If you exercise vigorously three times each week, you can set a goal to keep exercising. If you already have a loving relationship with your spouse, you can set a goal to nurture that relationship for the rest of your life.