A wish without a plan is just a wish, but a wish with a definite plan becomes the basis for success. Coming up with a plan can be a daunting task. It begins with developing a personal philosophy about life and the things we value. How do you come up with some kind of plan if you don’t have a vision of what you want to achieve? Also, how do you come up with a vision if you don’t know what kind of values and fundamentals you want to represent in that vision? An ACTION plan is outlined below to help you come up with a personal plan and philosophy to help guide your life.
Open a Word, Excel, Power Point document or just get out a notepad and pen (you have to write it down, it’s important). Write down what you value in life (love, happiness, compassion, honesty, etc.). Now take those qualities and create a vision for yourself. Mentally paint a picture in your mind of which future embodies your VALUES and write them down. Vividly describe the ideal, don’t just think I would like a nice house, choose an exact house you want to live in, the area, the city, even the tile style you want in your kitchen. Take a photo of what you want and put it on your paper, the images serve as a powerful visual guide and are stored in your subconscious waiting for your fulfillment.
Now take the time to write about your VALUES and your VISION. The good thing is that this is a personal document, although it should be unique, you are allowed to jot down ideas from other sources. Take your favorite quotes and insert them into this document. I personally have about three pages written on the subject of personal attitude. Some ideas about attitude I found in books I’ve read and others are mine. You are allowed to put whatever you want in the document that is your creation.
By establishing your values, you create a beginning. By creating a vision based on those values, you create your goals. Goals should stem from your vision. Here’s a (rather materialistic) example that puts it all together. Let’s say you value wealth, professional esteem, and a position of power. From there, imagine yourself at a definite point in the future living (47 years) a life that complements these values. For example, you might see yourself owning a jet for personal and business use. The vision of him vividly describes some goals. First of all, he will need financial resources to buy the plane.
1. Goal: Have $6,000,000 in the bank by age 47, investing a certain amount monthly and earning a large salary.
In the following vision, you see yourself in charge of a large company that influences many people and leads them to success. You will need to move up the corporate ladder to get our next goal.
2. Goal: Become CEO of XYZ Company at age 42.
These two objectives should adequately satisfy our materialistic friend. However, you can see how these objectives can create a variety of sub-goals, beginning to form a strategy map. For example, achieving the $6,000,000 may require investing a certain amount of money each month, as well as getting a certain cash flow.
Reaching your goals should not be left in the hands of change or luck, the base begins by forming a personal philosophy. start today.