The planning predicament

Man brainstorming

Introduction

Planning and goals are good. We preach about them here all the time. It is important to have plans in your life so you know where you are going and how to get there. Goals are an essential part of our lives and, whether we consciously acknowledge them or not, we have beliefs and goals that help us live and navigate through life. All in all, there aren't too many bad things to say about goals and planning.

In this post, we want to encourage you to think deeply about planning and the planning process by posing five insightful questions that encourage reflection and contemplation on the topic.

Do you make plans?

In a previous article, we discussed living without a plan and described it as reactive living. Making short-term decisions solely based on our experience of our external environment. This type of living is a part of all our lives to some extent. It is useful to acknowledge how much of your life you're living with a plan and how much is simply spontaneous living. Finding the right balance for you can play a significant role in improving your mood and satisfaction with life.

When did YOU start planning?

The arbitrary age we are legally considered adults in most countries is between the ages of 16-21. For society, this legal status is a signal that a child has become an adult. Activities and responsibilities that society deems suitable for adults become available to these young adults. However, each of us matures and develops at different rates. This rate of development can be affected by several factors such as genetics, socio-economic status, home life, and schooling.

A great way to reflect on your own development is to think about when you started making autonomous life decisions. When we are younger, most of our plans are determined or influenced by authority figures such as parents, teachers, or guardians. Decisions such as what to study, what your first job should be, and what religion you are are usually not completely autonomous.

The time we start making autonomous life decisions represents a significant milestone of maturity in our lives. Understanding when, and even if, you have reached this milestone can be hugely beneficial to your personal development and future decision-making.

Are you working towards completing a plan?

Working towards a goal can help give your life purpose. This may be obtaining a skill, qualification, or new job, for example. Achieving goals and completing plans are often complicated endeavours that require discipline, commitment, and hard work.

Recognizing what, or if, you are working towards a goal can provide several benefits, such as:

1. An opportunity to review and optimize your strategy to achieve your goal

2. Additional motivation when you encounter setbacks

3. A chance to reassess your plans and their success criteria

4. An opportunity to acknowledge your past and current achievements

How often do you change your plans?

Firstly, it is important to state that changing plans is normal and an important part of the successful implementation and execution of our plans. Plans should be reviewed and updated to reflect personal and environmental changes. However, we need to be able to differentiate between changes inspired by positive reflection and those due to negative influences.

Negative reasons for altering plans can include poor plan formulation, inappropriate plans, lack of resilience and self-efficacy, coercion, and pressure from others, etc. Reflecting on how often you change your plans will provide you with insight into your planning process and the motivation behind the changes.

What do you do when a plan is successfully executed?

Devising and successfully executing a plan is not easy. There are many factors that can influence the successful completion of plans, so the completion of any life plan is a great achievement. Despite this positive view, people react in a variety of ways after completing a life plan. Some break out in wild celebrations, while others barely acknowledge the achievement, and a few may even be frustrated with the result. Reflecting on your feelings and actions after completing a life plan can be a powerful tool of introspection. It can give you insight into your ambition, contentment, and satisfaction with your current life.

In this post, we posed 5 questions about plans and the planning process in the hope that it will aid your reflection on your current life plans. Take time to think about how you plan, how it may be optimized, and what you can learn about yourself from the planning process. If you require help developing your plan, get in touch. You can book a free 15 min chat with a trainer or send us an email at info@senschen.com.