How to live life
The Drift
Drifting can happen to anyone. It’s not just a problem for young people; it happens to people of all ages and career levels.
Drifting happens for many reasons. Some people are unaware of what’s going on in their lives or what’s at stake because they’re distracted by a hobby or career, overwhelmed with responsibilities and commitments, or deceived by their own minds. Regardless of the reason for drifting, it can lead to the following consequences: confusion about life’s meaning and direction; wasted time and money; lost opportunities; physical pain from poor health; and emotional pain due to a lack of fulfillment.
A life plan is the opposite of the drift.
Characteristics of a Life Plan
- It is created by you and for you. A Life Plan has to flow from your heart.
- It describes how you want to be remembered. A life plan doesn’t leave anything to chance.
- It articulates your personal priorities. A life plan gives you the chance to create a vision for yourself that is separate from what your family or others want from you
- It provides specific actions necessary to take you from where you are to where you want to be in every major area of your life
- It is a document that you can tweak and adjust when necessary. A Life Plan is flexible and it is a manifestation of an ongoing process.
Life Viewed In Terms of Compartments
These compartments are called life accounts.
- The Circle of Being. These are things that emanate from you. They include the spiritual, physical, and intellectual accounts
- The Circle of Relating. These are things that are centered on you in relation to others. They include your marital, parental, and social accounts
- The Circle of Doing. These are activities that deal with you in relation to your output. They include what you do for work, what you do as a hobby, and your finances.
Life Planning
A life plan is a document that helps people answer questions about their lives and goals. It outlines steps to achieve those goals as well as answers some specific questions they may have regarding their lives.
The first step is for people to think about the end of their lives and the legacy that they leave behind; then they should write down their plans by prioritizing each goal with importance and urgency.
We tend to think effective people are busy. Not so, unless they’re busy with the right things—and many people aren’t. When things in our business or life get busy and hectic, we often lose sight of our priorities. But by keeping the truly important things front and center, we often get the perspective we need to make better decisions.
The Three Questions
When formulating your Life Plan ask three important questions:
- How Do I want to be remembered?
- What matters the most?
- How can I get from here to where I want to be?
