Putting Together a Life Plan

Life planning is working out what things matter most to you, then putting a plan in place to prioritize them. Assess where you are, name what is important, write a vision for who you want to be, then build action plans that carry the vision out.

It asks more of you than the other five tools. The most effective way to do it is a full day away, at least eight hours, treated as a personal planning retreat. Bring your Bible, this guide, and a pad of paper.

Step 1. What is important to you?

Assess where you are in life right now. Take the areas below and do two passes.

How am I doing? Rate how satisfied you are in each area on a scale of 1 to 10.

Priority. Number the areas from 1 to 10 in the order you believe you should focus on over the next year. Each number is used only once.

• Relationship with God
• Finances
• Family (parents, siblings, in laws)
• Self development
• Marriage
• Health
• Recreation and hobbies
• Children
• Friendships
• Career
• Other

Optional questions that help:

• Write out your definition of success.
• What do you want to be known for?
• What do you want to be remembered for?
• What is most important to you in life?

Step 2. Choose the priorities you want to grow in

Pick three or four of the areas from step 1 to prioritize over the next year. Marriage, finances, health, whatever surfaced. Give each area its own page in a document. Four priorities, four pages.

Step 3. Write a vision statement for each one

Write it in the present tense. Define exactly who you want to be in that area. What do you hope to see when you look into your own future? Search the scripture as you work out what God has called you to be.

Here is the booklet’s example for marriage.

I am a man who loves and leads my wife. My marriage is the number one priority human relationship in my life and my wife can clearly see that this is the case. She respects me, sees me as a godly and loving leader in our marriage. My wife sees me as a man who puts her interests before mine and lives out love as defined in 1 Corinthians 13.

Step 4. Make a plan for growth

The question you are answering here is: what am I going to do in order to be? What will you do daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annually to grow in each priority?

Find three to five action steps per area. Write them down so they are measurable and can be completed.

• Relationship with God: I will spend 30 minutes each day in God’s Word.
• Health: I will run for 30 minutes four times per week.
• Marriage: I will pray with my wife five nights per week.
• Self development: I will read these 12 books this year.

Step 5. Begin to live it out

Record your action plans in your calendar as commitments. These are your priorities.

If you cannot enter an activity into your calendar, spend more time on this step. Every action plan has to be quantifiable and measurable, or you cannot schedule it and track it.

Step 6. Stay on course

Read your life plan weekly and assess where you are. Friday morning and Monday morning are both good times. Put it in your calendar as a weekly appointment, and plan the following week around your priorities.

Step 7. Establish accountability

Find a partner who will hold you accountable in these areas so you reach the goals you set for yourself. Meet monthly to review together.

A finished page

The booklet ends with one completed priority page, so you can see the shape of it.

Relationship with God

Vision. I am a man who lives his life with a passion to honor and glorify God, my creator. I live a gospel centered life in light of my salvation through the person and work of Jesus Christ. I am consistently devoted to communicating with God in prayer and daily spend time in the scriptures so that I can learn about him and how I can glorify him. The result is that I am a holy and godly person who loves and honors God.

Key scripture. 2 Timothy 2:22. “So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”

Action plans.

1. I will read one chapter of the Bible every day and think about it throughout the day.
2. I will continue on until I have read the whole Bible.
3. I will keep a weekly Sabbath day from work.
4. I will spend 15 minutes every day in silence, solitude, and prayer.