7 REASONS WHY YOU NEED A WRITTEN LIFE PLAN

This is taken from a blog by Michael Hyatt which is a brilliant personal development/leadership blog .

Most people spend more time planning a one-week vacation than identifying what outcomes they want to see in the major areas of their lives. In other words, most people wander aimlessly from week to week, with no clear destination in mind. Many are then surprised when life doesn’t turn out like they hoped. But is it any wonder?

This is why I believe everyone—especially leaders—should take the time to create a written life plan document. There are at least seven reasons why I believe this is important:

1. A life plan will help you clarify your most important priorities. Your boss has a set of priorities for you. So does your spouse. Perhaps others do, too. But what about you? Do you have a list? What is important to you?
2. A life plan will enable you to maintain balance. Some people sacrifice their marriage for their career. Others sacrifice their health or their relationship with their children. But what if you could have robust health, an excellent marriage, and a successful career? I’m here to tell you it is possible—but only if you have a plan.
3. A life plan will provide a filter by which you can say “no” to lesser things.Once you have said “yes” to what matters most, you are in a great position to say “no” to those activities that matter less. Suddenly you have the clarity—and the courage—to manage your opportunities rather than to be managed by them.
4. A life plan will empower you to identify and address your current realities. You can’t get where you want to go unless you start with where you are. What are the most brutal realities of your life? Where are you falling short? Where do you know you need to improve?
5. A life plan will equip you to envision a better future. You need to acknowledge where you are, but you also need to see clearly where you are going. What do you want in each of the major categories of your life? What would they look like in their ideal state? This is where it starts to get fun!
6. A life plan will serve as a road map for accomplishing what matters most.Once you know where you are and where you are going, you are in a position to create an action plan for getting there. It doesn’t have to be complicated, but you do have to identify the mile-markers and waypoints along the journey. A life plan does that.
7. A life plan will help ensure that you don’t finish life with regrets. For many people, life is not turning out like they had hoped. They are disappointed, confused, and discouraged. But it doesn’t have to be this way. While you can’t control everything, you can live your life with a plan and dramatically improve your chances of ending up at a destination you choose.