"Philosophy begins in Wonder" ~ Plato
Now that you understand the purpose and value of Life Planning, let's get into the doing of it. Of course, one would be foolish to think that a life can be planned in one session or by one particular method. The purpose and application of Life Planning, therefore, is to guide the thoughts of the individual in such a way that allows that individual to begin forming their own path to a meaningful existence -- to question one's life and provide their own answers.
Philosophically speaking, I believe that the meaning and purpose in life that you seek may be accomplished by aligning your being (who you are, the ideal self, your priorities) with your doing (what you do, how you act, your pursuits).
Your knowing (self-knowledge, self-awareness) is the means of joining your being with your doing.
To enable your knowing and begin your Life Plan, you will ask Questions, envision Outcomes and form a Mission that allows for the alignment of Priorities & Pursuits.
Questions
A helpful first step in the acquisition of self-knowledge is to press on your being by asking questions:
Many people place an emphasis on having a happy private life. If you feel your private life is important to you, do your pursuits support those priorities?
Would you rather have an extremely successful and exciting professional life, yet a boring and tolerable private life or would you rather have an extremely successful and exciting private life, yet a boring and tolerable professional life?
If you just found out you had a rare illness (you'll feel great but have only five years to live) what would you do in those five years?
If you had only 24 hours to live, what did you not get to do? What did you miss?
If you had all the money you needed, what would you do?
If 100 people were chosen at random, how many of those people do you think would be leading a more satisfying life than yours?
For what in your life do you feel most grateful?
Do you have any specific long-term goals? What is one and how do you plan on reaching it?
How much do you try to live now as you think you will one day wish you had lived?
Outcomes
Now that you have pressed on your being, it is time to envision how you are likely to look back on things you are doing today.
How do you want to be remembered by the following?
God: __________________________________
My Spouse: ____________________________
My Children: ____________________________
My Parents: _____________________________
My Friends: _____________________________
My Colleagues: ___________________________
Mission
Now you have enabled the creation of your Mission Statement. This task can often seem daunting but the mission, in terms of your life, should be broad yet encompassing of your priorities and values. The mission statement may be one sentence or a full paragraph. And remember, you only to a good start -- your mission will evolve over time.
In essence, the mission should include your strengths, values and purpose, which will then become a compass to keep you on your chosen path.
Here is an example of a personal mission statement I found at Suite101.com:
My mission is to champion others to grow personally, professionally, emotionally and spiritually by using my compassion, my unique perspective, and my belief in others' inherent goodness, integrity, and enormous potential.
This mission is broad yet defines the individual's purpose and values and acts as a good guide for decision making and planning. Once your personal mission statement is created, I suggest you place it prominently where you will see it every day, such as your refrigerator, mirror, framed on a wall, at your work place or all of these.
Priorities & Pursuits
Now you likely have the tools to align your Priorities & Pursuits. You may also discover that your true priorities are not aligned with your current pursuits (plans, actions). Simply write down a few of your highest priorities and place a pursuit next to it. This exercise should be repeated periodically -- at least once per year -- perhaps your birthday or some other meaningful and easy-to-remember day.
I'll provide a broad example for number one and you take it from there. Be as specific as you want to be:
Priority Pursuit
1. My Family 1. Spend more time with family & less time at work
2. _________ 2. ________________________________________
3. _________ 3. ________________________________________
"A human being is a deciding being." ~ Viktor Frankl
I hope this Life Planning exercise has helped (and will continue to help) you in some way. As with any successful personal endeavor, you are the key ingredient to your personal success. If anything, it is my hope that you are left with more questions to ask yourself -- the beginning to your own path to a meaningful existence.
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Related Blog Posts & Useful Resources:
Life Planning Part I: Are You a Tool?
Life Planning Part II: The Search for Meaning
Stephen Covey's Mission Statement Builder
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