No matters where you are in life and what you do, planning is a must skill to have.With no objectives, you live life accidently. There is a saying that if you don’t plan the life you want to live, you’ll end up living the life others plan for you. And since someone else has decided for you, it’s very likely that is going to suck or, more politely written, not matching your preferences.
I do not believe indestinybecause itis a lazy way of seeing life. Those who wait for destiny mean they don’t make much of an effort. These are average people. You could aim to excel, put energy and efforts into a plan to achieve your goals. And it doesn’t matter if you eventually achieve or not achieve your goals, they will change all the time. However, by having a plan, you will have a direction which will bring meaning and confidence to your life. Be aware we have a tendency to overestimate short-term goals (which may lead to disappointment) and underestimate long term goals (not raising the bar high enough with crazy and exciting goals).
Everything you do needs to have a purpose. A life without a purpose is not a life. We live day by day creating our own destiny. “Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: “Shallow men believe in luck, believe in circ*mstances…. Strong men believe in cause and effect”. Heracl*tus brought to the world the saying “Panta Rei” i.e. everything flows, including life. We cannot stop the fact that every day we are not getting any younger or that our body cells die and get replaced by new ones. Time cannot be stopped and it goes fast! This is why life should always have targets and purposes. If you don’t do it, life becomes a routine and you aim for very little. At 70 years old, you may ask yourself: “where is my life gone? What did I do?”
To have a plan, start with a vision of the future and then work backwards. To sound sophisticated, you may call this exercise a sort of “reverse-engineering” practice. For example, where would you like to be 5 years from now? What sort of job would you like to have? What skills are required to perform at that level? How can you get there? When would you like to settle in? Where and with whom? For what would you like to be remembered and recognised in life? Then break your 5-year plan in years, months, weekly and daily. This breakdown sounds a bit extreme but you get the idea. The more granular you can be the better! Clarity will come with goal setting over time. If your ideal job requires coding skills, sign up for a course today! If instead it requires public speaking skills, join a Toastmasters Club and start practicing. Overtime you will build yourself.Nothing that is worthwhile comes easy.
By having a plan and regularly tracking your progress you will achieve your goals in a shorter period of time and willdefinitely move the odds in your favour. One practical approach to set goals effectively is by using the popular SMART framework (Doran, 1981). This tool helps you to clarify your ideas and to develop a plan by considering key aspects:
S stands for Specific = what are you trying to achieve?
M stands for Measurable = how will you track your progress?
A stands for Attainable = can you realistically achieve your goals?
R stands for Relevant = does this goals matter to you?
T stands for Timely = when is the deadline?
For example, I always wanted to buy an apartment (RELEVANT) but was confused. I did not know where to start, what to buy and how the process worked. As a result, I started with a plan that was very vague with lots information missing and got into action. By calling agents and reading online I was able to gather information on the process, the various steps (offer, solicitors’ checks, mortgage application, exchange of contracts and completion). At the same time, I surrounded myself with people with experience in buying properties that could give me advice on Dos and Don’ts. This knowledge massively accelerated my discovery process and am grateful for these relationships. Few individuals in particular advised me on financing options (variable vs. fixed) and areas in the city that could have potential for gentrification. While I was gathering information, I was constantly updating and tracking my plan (MEASURABLE) with new actions and questions marks. There were just so many things I did not know and questions kept increasing. However, I kept on going and eventually found the answers to all my questions little by little. By visiting properties in different zones, I realised at some point which area suited me the most. By drafting an agreement in principle with my bank, I knew how much I could borrow and what could afford (ATTAINABLE). Overtime I “fine-tuned” my plan (SPECIFIC) with buying a property within one specific area and key personal criteria in mind (close to transports, not ground floor, walking distance to work etc.).By having a specific idea of what you want(studio, one bedroom, 2 bedrooms etc.)80% of the job is already done. And it gets easier. When I reached this stage, my plan was very granular and when I saw the property that fitted most of my criteria, I just went for it. Having done my research for negotiating purposes, I acted quickly with an offer and counter offers (TIMELY). If I hadn’t had a specific idea in mind, I would have probably kept on going around in circles. This is usually what happens when people havefantasieswhichare goals without plans.
As you can see from my story, I did not have specific answers to the SMART questions when I started. But I got into action and improved along the way. No plan can work without action because by doing you gather feedbacks and new information. A plan allows you to think about what are the critical factors to achieve your goals. Think of having a plan as a dynamic tool and review it constantly for updates but also for keeping your focus over time.
Finally, there is no guarantee of success with a plan, but it definitely puts the odds in your favour.
Opinions expressedare solelymy ownand do notexpresstheviewsoropinionsof any entity whatsoever with which I have been, am now, or will be affiliated
