There is a natural rhythm to life which includes both planning and living. Too much emphasis on one or the other will hinder you from getting where you want to go in life.
I like to compare it to riding a bicycle. Planning is the 'steering' and Living is the 'pedaling'. Take away one or the other when you ride your bike and how effective will you be in reaching your destination? Not so much, right?
In the same way, planning and living are both essential to living in sync and fulfilling your life destiny.
I have found planning to be easiest for me as I follow the natural design of a calendar.
- Annual
- Quarter or Trimester
- Month
- Week
- Day
Depending on the time covered, my planning obviously adjusts. However, what I have planned and outlined for longer time period, should have everything to do with my shorter time increments, ie. my annual plans provide structure for all the rest - kind of working like a funnel, getting more detailed and action-oriented in the decisions of daily and weekly plans.
Once I have planned well, it is essential to transition to living well. Some keys to living -
- Presence. Get out of your brain, and look around yourself. Notice what is happening around you. Our best ideas are most always found spontaneously in the moment.
- Action. Resist the enemies of perfection, doubt, & insufficiency. Start somewhere and act on your plans. Resist boredom, and push through til the finish.
- Generosity. Let your world become enlarged by giving wholeheartedly to the people, tasks, and environment you're in. Resist the need for a return on every investment, you'll soon find your results far exceed your efforts.
