Raising Kids / Growing parents Resources

Coaching Appointment
Coaching Appointment

7 Tips for Creating Your Life Plan

RKGP Life Plan Week 3 Newsletter

Bill Shackelford

7 Tips for Creating Your Life Plan Week 3

Raising Kids/Growing Parents Community

Welcome to week three of our discussion of Life Planning. Now that you understand why a life plan matters, let’s look at how to start creating one.

A little research will show you that there are many approaches to life planning. Some are very detailed and take a considerable amount of time to complete. Others can be completed with just a few hours of reflection.

In our AP Academy training we provide a training module that guides you through a structured process for creating a life plan. Individuals using our material say they like it because it's easy to use and produces great results.

Regardless of the planning process you use, you will improve results if you also follow these tips.

1. Make it visual. A plan that is visual touches more of the senses and serves as a constant reminder. It could be a vision board, dream board, life map, mission statement, or something you create. The key is that it is always present.


2. Know your strengths (and interests) and let others know them. Friends and family often know what you do but may not know what you aspire to do. Let them in on your dreams so that when they come across things that can help you achieve your dreams, they can make the connection and share that information with you.


3. Adopt guiding principles (values, etc.) and live by them. If your guiding principles and values are in sync with your life plan, you are much more likely to achieve your plan. Also, if your life plan is in sync with your guiding principles and values, achieving your plan will lead to a much more fulfilling life. Either way you look at it, these two must be in sync.


4. Set short-term goals. One common reason people give for not achieving their goals is that the goals were so big, they didn’t know where to start. The solution is simple. Break your life plan into smaller tasks that can be accomplished in a short period of time. Prioritize the tasks (i.e. which one must be done first), set a deadline for completing each task, and when completed, celebrate that success. After a short celebration, you will be energized to tackle the next task.


5. Stay laser-focused on your life plan. Most of us have enough things to do every day to occupy every waking minute; however, it is important to make sure we don’t get pulled away from our long-term goals. Ask yourself, “Is what I am doing moving me toward my goal or pulling me away from it?” If it’s pulling you away, figure out what you can do differently to meet your current needs while also supporting your long-term goals.


6. Be persistent. Persistent means “to continue firmly or obstinately in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition.” A popular Jim Rohn quote on this matter states, “If you don’t have a plan for your life, you fall into someone else’s plan.”


7. Be consistent. Put working your plan on level one of Maslow’s hierarchy (of physiological needs). You wouldn’t go a day without breathing, eating food, or drinking water. Do the same with working on your life plan. Don’t go a day without doing something that moves it forward.

Keep in mind that no matter how great your plan, it must be updated periodically. As you achieve major goals, you will need to review the life plan and possibly set new goals. When I was finishing undergrad, I set a goal to land a job with a $10,000 salary. Trust me, that goal does not work for me today.


Remember, the goal isn’t to create a 50-page document. Even a one-page plan can dramatically improve focus, reduce stress, and move you toward the life you desire. There’s something powerful about putting your plan on paper and seeing it in your own words. It tells your brain, “This is real. I must take action.”

Need More Information?

As we stated earlier, there are many approaches to developing a life plan. Let me give you two that I find especially useful.

  1. Draw Your Future by Patti Dobrowolski: A TEDxRainier talk where Ms. Dobrowolski leverages the power of imagination and visuals to have you actualize a vision of your future.

  2. How To Develop A Plan for Your Life: Part of the Raising Kids / Growing Parents training series, this training program provides a simple yet powerful process for creating a life plan. It includes templates with step-by-step instructions for creating a plan that works. You will find this training material in the AP Academy Store.

In our next blog we will move you from talking about life planning to helping you develop your plan.

Let’s Grow Together!

Bill Shackelford, Founder
AP Academy and
Raising Kids / Growing Parents Community

Join Now