Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Make your vision clear
• Method 2 of 3: Creating a life plan
• Method 3 of 3: Set goals

Taking control of your life is a big step. You can decide what you want, find out what's important to you, and make a plan you can follow to make the most of your life. Learn how to plan your life so that you can achieve set goals and fulfill your wishes.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Make your vision clear

1. Identify what is meaningful to you. Planning your life can seem like an overwhelming task, and there are many different areas of your life to consider while planning. To get a better idea of ​​what you want your future to look like, it is helpful to spend some time exploring what is satisfying and meaningful to you. Some questions to get you thinking about the direction you want your life to take are:
   • What does success look like to you? Is this a certain type of job or income? Is it being creative? Have a family?
   • What would your life be like if you had the power to change it now? Where would you live? What would your career look like? How do you spend your time? Who do you spend that time with?
   • Whose life do you admire? What is it about their life course that looks attractive to you?
2. Construct a guiding vision statement. Once you have explored what is meaningful to you through questions and self-reflection, write those answers down in a sentence that you can use as a guiding vision statement. Write it in the present tense, as if you have already achieved it.
   • An example of a vision statement could be: My life is successful because I am my own boss. I feel like I have every day off. I can use my creativity and I spend my time with my family.
   • Because planning your life in a fast-moving world can be difficult, use this phrase as a guiding principle as you try to map out your life, bearing in mind that that particular job, place, or goal may fluctuate , as long as your guiding vision, or that which is most important to you, is fulfilled.
3. Take it easy. Your plan may not be in a straight line. Very rarely will things turn out exactly as someone plans or expects. Life is full of twists, turns and new opportunities. Life is also full of failure, but that doesn't mean giving up. Be prepared to take action in very small steps. Learn from those actions and experiences as you get closer to your goal.
   • You can go into a dead end during your lifetime. Maybe you get a job that you expect to get you in a better place, but doesn't seem to come to fruition. You may be getting sidetracked in your relationships and by your family. Just remember that there is no set time for it. Keep taking baby steps towards your goals and learn from every dead end and new developments in your life.
4. Prepare to create your own opportunities. Perhaps the perfect job, place or opportunity is already out there somewhere. If so, you will have to create an opportunity for yourself, even if it was not part of your original plan. Understand that as you plan your life, you may need to achieve your goals to mentally prepare for changes in the future.
   • For example, if you want to be your own boss in your vision statement, this could mean teaching in a dance studio or consultant in a large firm. Both satisfy the deep need to be free because you are your own boss.

Method 2 of 3: Creating a life plan

1. Write a life plan. A life plan is a formal, written plan that you can use to plan areas of your life, including your career, where you live, who you associate with, and what you spend time on. Writing a life plan can help you identify areas in your life that you would like to change or certain goals that you want to achieve.
   • A life plan can help you view your life in a different way. Putting aspects of it on paper can help you prioritize and adjust your ideas.
   • By writing a life plan, you can also recognize similar goals and desires that you have, or you can adapt your plan with it, depending on the things that are not appropriate.
2. Identify areas of your life you would like to change. Having a life plan does not mean that you can immediately change all aspects of your life, but it is the first step to start the process. There may be areas of your life that you are satisfied with, such as where you live, but other areas in which you would like to grow, such as finding a more fulfilling career. There may be several areas in your life that you want to plan for, but to begin with, choose one that is most important.
   • Decide what aspect of your life you want to start with, such as your career, social groups, hobbies, or something else. Some examples of aspects of your life that you can change are your job, education or income, and financial planning. Your attitude, life perspective, creative or relaxation goals. Family and friends, planning for your children, securing social support, or meaningful volunteer work, or physical and health goals.
   • Ask yourself what good can come of changing your life to be clear about why you want to change.
   • Ask yourself what change will be most difficult for you. Once you know what will be the hardest, you can prepare yourself for that when you take on that challenge. For example, some people find that the hardest part of a change is getting started. If you know this about yourself, you can enlist the help of others to get started.
3. Gather support and information. Having a support system, or a group of people who can help you when needed, is important if you're trying to change your life. Part of planning a change is knowing exactly who to turn to for help and support when things start to get tricky. Tell the people who mean the most to you about your life plans and what you would like to change. Make a list of people you can rely on should you get stuck.
   • Gather as much information as you can about the coming changes in your life. Hear success stories from others, or join a group for self-realization and success. Ask others what approaches they have used in changing and planning their lives and what obstacles to expect.
4. Identify resources and plan steps to take. Some life plans and changes you want to make require resources to start implementing the steps toward your goal. You may need books, keep a budget, learn a new skill, or call in others to help. You may also need to figure out how to overcome certain obstacles. When you have in mind what you need to get started, start thinking about the steps that will lead you to your supposed life plan.
   • For example, if you have included in your life plan that you want to become healthier, the first step could be to learn more about healthier eating and cooking, after which you decide to eat at least one vegetable a day. Start working towards your goal slowly so that you don't burn out and it all gets too much for you.
   • Another example could be that you have a life plan to eat healthier. In order to do this, you will need to know what resources you need to achieve that goal, such as books on nutrition, budget for the various groceries, and enlisting the help of your family, because a change in your shopping list will also occur. will affect them.
5. Learn to deal with it when your life is not quite as it is in your life plan. Planning your life is a good way to get clarity about what you want and how to get it, but often life is unpredictable and doesn't go according to plan. You will have to work on your coping skills so that you can solve problems and continue working towards your goals.
   • You can learn to deal with situations in a problem-solving way. This means that you have the ability to take an objective look at a situation to understand which parts are not working properly, and then come up with a plan to fix it. This process also involves looking for your options, gathering information, learning to manage the situation, and then executing an action plan.
   • For example, if you are working on a life plan to become a healthier person, but are subsequently told you have diabetes, you will use your own problem-solving skills to adapt to the new situation. You will learn about diabetes, food and testing tools so that you can move forward with your life plan.
   • Another way to deal with this is to focus on emotions. You process the emotional effects of an event in your life that you have not planned.
   • A diagnosis of diabetes will definitely trigger an emotional response such as fear, frustration, or anger. Dealing with these emotions may include talking to a family member to reduce stress by limiting your obligations, and jotting down your feelings in order to understand them better.

Method 3 of 3: Set goals

1. Learn the importance of goal setting. Goal setting is an important skill many people use to help kick start their motivation. Goal setting gives you more options to focus on the details of completing a task, and helps organize all the tools you need to achieve your goal.
   • One of the best things about successful goal setting and fulfillment is increased confidence and self-efficacy once you achieve that goal.
2. Use the SMART method for achieving goals. Setting goals is a great way to boost your life plan. It ensures that your goals or steps are specific, measurable, acceptable, realistic and time-bound (SMART). It's important to use SMART planning for your goals to understand how close or how far you are from a particular goal.
   • If your goal is to work towards a healthier life, don't say you just start eating more vegetables. Make it a SMART goal by saying, “I'm going to eat two servings of vegetables a day for 30 days, starting on Monday.
   • This will make the goal specific so you have a guideline to follow. It is also measurable, because you know what you are aiming for, it is realistic and you have a certain time limit.
3. Make your goals concrete. There are a number of ways in which you can make goals concrete and attainable. To start, write down the goal. This makes the goal more real than it would be if it were just playing out in your head. Make sure to make it specific. If you follow the SMART format, you should have already set specific goals.
   • Formulate your goals with positive language. If you want to lose weight, say something like, "Eat healthier and lose 5 pounds," instead of, "Stop eating junk food and being fat."
   • Organize your goals according to their priority level. If you have multiple goals, there is no way you can do everything at the same time. Decide what is feasible now, what can wait, and what can take longer.
   • Keep your goals small enough so that you can achieve them within a reasonable time frame, rather than years later. If you have big goals, break them down into smaller ones so that you gradually achieve your goals and get the feeling that you are achieving something.