“The sooner you start planning your life, the sooner you will live the life you dream of.” – Hans Glint
When was the last time you wanted something to turn out a certain way, and you took specific steps to increase the probability of it happening the way you pictured it in your mind? Welcome to the world of planning! Planning is something that varies with people. Some people have to plan everything out before taking any action. And some people like to just “wing it” and not plan at all.
In order to get anywhere, you need to have a plan on how to get there. Otherwise, you could just end up going in circles or end up just plain lost. Not having a plan is like being on a ship without a rudder. Without a rudder you have no way of directing the ship to your destination. That’s no way to embark on any journey let alone your life and your journey to financial freedom.
Why You Should Have a Plan
Without a plan, life just happens to you instead of you creating the life you want. If you want to improve your financial situation and get on the road to financial freedom, then you have to have a plan to get there. A plan like that can sound daunting. But if you start with small, attainable steps that are more clearly within your reach, then you just build on it from there.
As you start creating a plan using small steps, it will eventually force you to visualize and set up short term, mid-term and long-term goals. Those goals will help you see the bigger picture you have for yourself more clearly in your mind. You have to think of it as the road map for your journey to your financial future. Wishing for better things won’t cut it. Create it and start by planning!
“Success doesn’t just happen. It’s planned for.” – Anonymous
The only way to reach a goal is to have a plan. Without a plan you’ll have a really difficult time accomplishing just about anything. Having a plan puts you in charge of where you want to go. As opposed to circumstances in life aimlessly pushing and pulling you around. We all know that even when we do plan…things don’t always go to plan. But that’s NOT a reason to not have a plan!
Even if plans do need to change, by having set up a plan in the first place, it keeps your mind focused on the goals. Being focused on your goals will allow you to make adjustments to your plan when you have to in order for you to get back on track. That’s the beauty of having a plan. It gives you guidance to reach your goal, even when you hit setbacks and disappointments along the way.
Of course, you may have to change direction and the change in direction may require more effort or cause a delay, but by knowing where you plan to go, you can find a way to get there. The important thing to remember is to not give up on yourself or your goals at the sight of any trouble. Just know that it’s part of the journey. And by sticking to the plan, no matter how long it takes, you’ll get there.
It’s like taking a long road trip where you may encounter detours, traffic, weather conditions and of course the unexpected rest stops along the way, but no matter what gets thrown at you, you manage to get there. You need to think of your life plan and financial plan in the same way. Start from where you are now and envision what you want your future to look like. Then plan out your journey!
“Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now.” – Alan Lakein
To have success, you have to have goals. And in order to achieve those goals, you need to create a plan on how you’re going to get there. Now we all know that even though you create a plan, it won’t always go smoothly. The thing to keep in mind is it will require patience, perseverance, discipline and determination just to name a few. Notice how “giving up” is not on the list…just sayin’.
A helpful technique for creating a plan is to start with the end in mind. In other words, you need to imagine what you want your future to look like. Set goals starting with the long-term goals first and working your way back to your short-term goals. It’s actually a technique you use more often than you realize just on a smaller scale, like planning a party or a weekend get-away.
When you break it down that way, it can make goal setting a little easier. Once you have a plan, then you have to execute…take action! All the planning in the world won’t bring results. So you can’t allow yourself to get stuck in a perpetual cycle of planning. You won’t be able to think of every possible challenge you’ll face along the way. So you can’t let fear keep you from getting started.
Paralysis of analysis is a sure way to keep you from making progress toward your vision. Don’t fall into that trap! But with a clear goal and a good plan you’ll be able to make the necessary adjustments along the way and reach your destination. Don’t worry about how long it takes for you to reach it as long as you’re making progress. And remember, a dream without a plan is just a wish!
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