The truth is that we spend more time planning our vacations than our lives. You wouldn't think about going to a place your don't know about without a map and information. Today, you're going to think about your life, what you want to achieve, and how you're going to get there. Your best path to success is to know where you are going. These steps could help you identify a path through the maze of opportunity. You will only write down the answers to #2, #4 and #5. #1 and #3 are things you will think about before you actually write anything down.

For points on this assignment, you will submit your responses to steps 2, 4 and 5 in writing (typed, double-spaced, with the required heading at the top of the paper). The rest of the steps you will do on your own.

1. Identify your planning horizon. Decide: do you want to visualize yourself ten years from now, five years from now, next year? When you write your response in #4, be sure to identify your planning horizon.
2. Identify your skills. Are you an organized person, a high-energy person, a people person, a person others can count on, a natural leader? Find the best in yourself and use that assessment as a starting point.  Make a bullet-pointed list and be sure to provide examples that illustrate why you feel you possess these skills. I want you to list at lease 5 skills and specific example about when you demonstrated those skills.
3. State your planning horizon, and create a picture of yourself at the end of your planning horizon. Create as much detail as possible. What do you wear for work? For leisure? What do you do in your spare time—golf, friends, family, children? What is your full time work like—business person, homemaker, craftsperson, etc.? What does your house look like, what area of town, brick or frame, yard, flowers, basketball hoop on the garage? What car are you driving? What does your spouse/significant other look like, his/her personality, work life?
4. As soon as you have a clear enough vision, write down that vision--all of it, as detailed as possible. Writing it down is the first step in making it real.
5. Lay out the steps necessary to get you there. Put goal dates on the steps. These become your personal goals. Be very specific and detailed. The better you think this through, the more likely it is to happen.
6. Put your plan where you can read it often. Read it as often as possible.
7. Look yourself in the eye in the mirror and say to yourself, “I am going to_________.” The blank is a step in your plan stated in the present tense. This may feel silly the first few times you do it, but it is extremely important. You are programming your mind for success in the same way you would program a computer.
8. Discuss your plans with others. People will help you achieve your goals. Others can help you if they know where you are going. Don’t be shy.
9. Be confident. You are going to achieve these goals. If you ever hear yourself referring to your goals by saying “I would like to…” then whack yourself around until you regularly say, “I am going to….”
10. Revise your plan whenever it is necessary or appropriate. Plans change when more information becomes available.

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

My Planning Horizon My planning horizon is five years from now My Skills I am an organized person who is able to stay on task and complete projects in ... View the full answer