Life plan is a great tool for transformational living. I once read that if you do not have a life plan, then you do not have the right to expect anything more of tomorrow than to wake up to another day older. First day of the year. The busiest day of your life. The day you spend most time thinking deeply about what you want. And then…
You may have a beautiful and very inspiring life plan. Having said that, it will be good to establish that, it is not in the beauty of the life plan but in accomplishing it. That is what is most important.
While it is important to have a life plan, it is most important to work it out. Most drift through life aimlessly, wondering why their life lacks purpose and significance because, while they have a ‘so-called’ life plan, they have not paid attention to certain details.
Why would your life plan fail? Because planning what you want to achieve is easier, and more fun than doing the work to actually get there.
Here are a few reasons why a person’s life plan can fail.
When it is not written down
Some people only depend on their memory to preserve their life plan. But, if you will agree with me, you’ll know that the memory is not very reliable.
Without writing your life plan down, you do not have anything to constantly review. And when you do not review your life plan, there is not going to be any indication of progress and if there is need for corrections.
“When you write down your ideas you automatically focus your full attention on them. Few if any of us can write one thought and think another at the same time.” — Michael Leboeuf
Research has shown that you are 42% more likely to achieve your life plan when written down than the person who does not have a written down life plan.
Not writing down your life plan is an indication that it is not important to you.
However, writing down your life plan is not all you have to do, neither does it make it happen. It is just the beginning.
When it lacks focus
Because a life plan it not written, it is possible that it lacks focus. This is true because there is nothing penned down somewhere to remind you of what to focus on. Nothing to remind you of what to concentrate your time and energy on.
But even when you have your intention committed on paper and yet allow yourself to be distracted continuously away from it, then there’s no way you will achieve what you have written in your life plan.
“Success usually comes down to choosing the pain of discipline over the ease of distraction.” ~ James Clear
When a life plan lacks focus, it also lacks the potential for forward movement. How do you find the next thing to do on your life plan if you don’t focus on it to know what was the previous step?
A life plan that is backed by the power of focus is much likely to be easily achieved than one without focus. In fact, lack of focus on your life plan means that you’ll never have time to work out your life plan.
To achieve your life plan, you must set meaningful priorities, and understand the need to pursue results.
When it lacks clarity
Lack of clarity is probably more responsible for frustration and underachievement in achieving life plan than any other single factor.
It is one thing to think that one has a life plan, and then another to clearly understand the nitty-gritty in the plan. Without clear goals and objectives in your life plan, you will meander aimlessly through life, trying to find what you don’t know.
If setting goals is so critically important, then why is it that so few people take the time to define exactly where they want to go? Part of the reason is a lack of knowledge about how to set clear goals.
When it lacks commitment
When there is no focus, and clarity, it is impossible to ensure commitment. Commitment is a binding pledge or obligation to follow a course of action. You do not deserve the life you merely profess by words and not willing to work for it.
At the end of it all, it is your life that is involved. It is also your life plan that will fail. Nobody would do for you what you ought to do for yourself.
Commitment is powerful because influences you — how you think, how you sound, and how you act. Unlike a half-hearted hope or ‘best shot,’ making a commitment to your life plan means that you try harder, you look for solutions when faced with obstacles, you don’t consider quitting as an option, and you don’t look back.
You do all you can, given the time and resources within your reach or at your disposal to ensure that your life works according to plan.
When it lacks accountability
While it is your primary responsibility to look after your life plan and ensure its success, if no one knows what you are working towards, cares if you don’t do it, or calls you out if you quit, then chances are you will fail. Besides, how would you get the necessary support you may need if you don’t have anyone who knows about what you want to achieve in any area of your life at any given moment?
Don’t just put it all on your shoulders. Let other people help you stay on track with your goals.
When you neglect the support and contribution of mentors and masterminds, you make it difficult for yourself to achieve your life plan.
Now, I hand over to you. Any ideas why you think life plan fails? Would love to have your view. Leave some comments for me in the box below.
Photo by Estée Janssens on Unsplash
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