How to Life Plan, Goal Set, and Keep Yourself Moving Forward: Consistent Progression

When you are traveling to a new place, you get directions, use a GPS, or have someone guide you. Why is that so many people try and travel through their life without the same techniques? How can you possibly expect to end up where you want to be without a road map?

I'm a big proponent for life planning, goal setting, and writing stuff down. I think the majority of people have an idea of where they want to "end up," but why would you try and get there without a plan? Now, if your plan/goal/dream is to live an unstructured life then by all means, do it! But, if you have set goals or moments you want to hit in your life, I think it is absolutely necessary to have some kind of program to follow.

If this is your first time writing out a life plan, it can be pretty daunting. It's a lot of self reflection, and I think a good place to start is by writing down your, "Essential List." Write, "What is important to me?" and then narrow it down to less than 10 items. These are the most important things in your life, and everything you do, from work to play, should fit within them.

Obviously, things change and come up. Being flexible is important to a successful life. By having these items written down and acknowledging them, you are able to make quick and decisive decisions when something big happens. As long as you make sure whatever you choose fits within your, "Essential List" you know you'll still be on the right path towards your dreams and goals.

There are different ways to create a life plan, a helpful tip is to split your life into at least these 4 categories: physical, mental, financial, and spiritual. You can put in whatever categories you would like, and some will be more important to you than others.

Make sure you're actually recording this either electronically or on paper. Personally, I like to write mine on paper, something about taking the time to actually write things out makes me think a little slower, and really decide on what I want to say.

When writing out goals, I like the follow the S.M.A.R.T goal setting technique.  I also like to make weekly, months, yearly, and of course life goals. Your goals should scare you a bit. There's no sense in making easily attainable goals. Challenge is good.

I always start with my physical goals, I think that has become a habit for me since my first goals I ever recorded were from my bodybuilding days. This isn't just weight loss or gain goals, it could also be about drinking more water, or less processed food or sugar, or getting ready for an event or race; whatever you want! Once I settle on my physical goals, I move to financial ones. Plan out how much you want to have saved, what debts paid off, and any big purchases you have in mind for the coming years. Next is the mental goals and plans. This could include goals for how many or what kind of books you want to read, daily or weekly meditation, or dedicating time in the day to self betterment practices such as life planning. Lastly, there are spiritual goals to plan out. These could be whatever personal beliefs you would like to practice, but record how you will go about that and how often.

Continue to reflect on your goals daily, or at least weekly. Make goals for goals if that helps you stay on track, and make sure all of your goals fit within your, "Essential List." By doing this, you keep yourself in check to make sure you're moving forward. Being at a standstill in life is just as bad as moving backwards. It doesn't matter how quickly you are moving, just as long as you continue to grow. By having a life plan, but staying flexible, you are set up to achieve more, worry less, and have a great life!

-Nick