After a job and location change was announced in my life, I took time to develop a 5-year plan with my accountability partners plus some others I gathered with during that time frame. I wanted to make sure I was thinking well about both present and future. Hopefully you have a financial plan, i.e. at least 3 months savings for emergency, saving for bills like car insurance and repairs, retirement, etc…..
A 5-year plan is no different except it deals with more than just money. For me it helped create focus for my mind, my abilities, my calling and my passions.
I asked 5 key questions that helped me develop my 5-year plan.
A 5-year plan is no different except it deals with more than just money. For me it helped create focus for my mind, my abilities, my calling and my passions.
I asked 5 key questions that helped me develop my 5-year plan.
1. When am I at my best? Scott Eblin (follow the link for other insights I've noted from him) wrote about this in his book The Next Level. When my life is full of the things that fill my life, it's then that I'm at my best. Only then am I able to perform at the top level, be fully present for others and think most clearly about life. So I developed my list which included: teaching, missions and serving, swim officiating, exercising and reading.
If I'm not spending my time in these activities, I'm not going to have my full energy and I won't be able to be fully present for my family or people I serve.
2. In 5 years I want to be _____________________________. This has to be precise, personal and possible. Paint a clear picture of what that looks like and ask some close friends for an honest opinion whether it's really possible. If you want to be the CEO of a company in 5 years but you don't yet work for that company, well, that's probably not realistic.
From there list out what has to happen to make this a reality. Be detailed about it. I listed out the things I wanted to do, eliminated the unrealistic ones and made the others more precise. For instance, in my exercise portion, one thing I'd like to do is swim in a Master's swim meet and do a 100 free in :55 seconds. 55 @ 55! (Swimming a 100 in :50 while I'm 50 years old is simply not realistic, so I found a goal that will push me but is reachable assuming the body and joints hold together). But I realized, what I really wanted to do was make it back to finals, so I made it more specific, which also means I don't to wait or push for 5 more years. I might be able to do that THIS year.
3. Ask: What do you think I should a) consider doing and b) stop doing or not consider?
This is a great question that leads to some of the deep change that needs to happen to achieve anything of significance. Having people in your life who will give you this honest feedback is essential. I was fortunate to have 5 of them who loved me and shot straight. They still do today and I'm better for it.
All of us think we're better at some things than we really are. And all of us have dreams and buried thoughts that should be brushed off and pursued. If you don't have these people in your life, then there's part of your 5-year plan.
4. What commitments do I need to keep? This creates the boundaries for the plan. What are my commitments to family? If I've committed to marriage, for instance, then I can't just take a year off to create a new career with the possibility of living with my mom! There are commitments I've already made that limit what I can do or at least the time frame or way I can accomplish a dream.
5. What am I afraid of? In other words, what is keeping me or might keep me from pursuing this plan? Am I afraid to fail? Then ask: What's that all about? I found that naming the fears lessened their power over me. Unspoken fears lurk in the shadows of our lives, playing with our minds and hearts. Looking them in the face spooks them more than us and frees us to pursue our dreams.
What will be happening in your life in 5 years? How will your life be different in 5 years? What needs to change in order for you to accomplish some of your dreams? Maybe start with a bucket list, just a simple list of things you'd like to do. I've got mine and it's fun to check them off.
If I'm not spending my time in these activities, I'm not going to have my full energy and I won't be able to be fully present for my family or people I serve.
2. In 5 years I want to be _____________________________. This has to be precise, personal and possible. Paint a clear picture of what that looks like and ask some close friends for an honest opinion whether it's really possible. If you want to be the CEO of a company in 5 years but you don't yet work for that company, well, that's probably not realistic.
From there list out what has to happen to make this a reality. Be detailed about it. I listed out the things I wanted to do, eliminated the unrealistic ones and made the others more precise. For instance, in my exercise portion, one thing I'd like to do is swim in a Master's swim meet and do a 100 free in :55 seconds. 55 @ 55! (Swimming a 100 in :50 while I'm 50 years old is simply not realistic, so I found a goal that will push me but is reachable assuming the body and joints hold together). But I realized, what I really wanted to do was make it back to finals, so I made it more specific, which also means I don't to wait or push for 5 more years. I might be able to do that THIS year.
3. Ask: What do you think I should a) consider doing and b) stop doing or not consider?
This is a great question that leads to some of the deep change that needs to happen to achieve anything of significance. Having people in your life who will give you this honest feedback is essential. I was fortunate to have 5 of them who loved me and shot straight. They still do today and I'm better for it.
All of us think we're better at some things than we really are. And all of us have dreams and buried thoughts that should be brushed off and pursued. If you don't have these people in your life, then there's part of your 5-year plan.
4. What commitments do I need to keep? This creates the boundaries for the plan. What are my commitments to family? If I've committed to marriage, for instance, then I can't just take a year off to create a new career with the possibility of living with my mom! There are commitments I've already made that limit what I can do or at least the time frame or way I can accomplish a dream.
5. What am I afraid of? In other words, what is keeping me or might keep me from pursuing this plan? Am I afraid to fail? Then ask: What's that all about? I found that naming the fears lessened their power over me. Unspoken fears lurk in the shadows of our lives, playing with our minds and hearts. Looking them in the face spooks them more than us and frees us to pursue our dreams.
What will be happening in your life in 5 years? How will your life be different in 5 years? What needs to change in order for you to accomplish some of your dreams? Maybe start with a bucket list, just a simple list of things you'd like to do. I've got mine and it's fun to check them off.
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