Category: Making a Plan

[Part 5] Do You Have Any Personal Challenges to Overcome?

Copyright: tomertu / 123RF Stock Photo
]1 Copyright: tomertu / 123RF Stock Photo
We’ve gone over alot in the last few weeks with this series about creating a life plan and working towards your goals. This week we’ll review the final question:

  1. What skills do you have to start with?
  2. What skills do you need to develop?
  3. How are you going to get the experience you need?
  4. Do you have any personal challenges to overcome?

This is kind of a “duh” question; however do we really take the time to evaluate ourselves? It was very important for me to answer this question. We cannot advance towards our goals until we know what our obstacles are. In my experience the hardest obstacles to overcome are the ones in my own head. For a long time (too long) I kept coming up with reasons I couldn’t change how my life was going. When I began to evaluate my personal challenges, I was able to make conscious decisions to conquer them.

After taking time to list my personal challenges, I began to start making rapid progress towards what I really wanted. Everyone will have their own list of challenges. Here are some of mine: Continue reading “[Part 5] Do You Have Any Personal Challenges to Overcome?”

[Part 4] How Are You Going to Get the Experience You Need?

Businessman climbing a ladder of books
]1 Copyright: bowie15 / 123RF Stock Photo

This week I wanted to answer question 3 about how to break down your life plan:

  1. What skills do you have to start with?
  2. What skills do you need to develop?
  3. How are you going to get the experience you need?
  4. Do you have any personal challenges to overcome?

The the items one and two on my list should give you some ideas of what career opportunities interest you and what you’d be good at. Now it’s time to try them out and get some experience. How are you going to do that? Here are some of my ideas: Continue reading “[Part 4] How Are You Going to Get the Experience You Need?”

[Part 3] What Skills Do You Need to Develop?

Personal Development
]1 Copyright: tashatuvango / 123RF Stock Photo
Over the last few weeks we’ve been looking at the process I worked through to create a life plan. It helped me get clear about where I was starting from and what I would need to do to make more progress. In this post I broke the process down into 4 questions: Continue reading “[Part 3] What Skills Do You Need to Develop?”

[Part 2b] What Am I Good At? How I Found Out

Hello2

Last week we looked at some ideas about how to dial in on what you are naturally good at.  Today you’ll get to know me a little better and see how I used this process. We’ll be talking alot about me, but as we do, please consider how this process could be helpful to you achieving your goals.

The 3 steps to understanding your strengths were: Continue reading “[Part 2b] What Am I Good At? How I Found Out”

[Part 2a] Strong Foundation: 3 Ways to Identify Your Natural Strengths

Internal Strength
]1 Copyright: lassedesignen / 123RF Stock Photo

If we are not careful, we can waste alot of time pursuing a life plan, spinning our wheels working towards something that is not our strong suit. Avoid this wasted time by laying a strong foundation based on your natural strengths and talents.

To accomplish this, ask yourself, “what skills do I have to start with?” I think this is a vital question, and it has helped me immensely as I am moving down my own path.  For a long time, I thought I needed to fit into some kind of preconceived box to be successful in life.  I would get down on myself for not being more such-and-such.

But after listening to numerous speakers and reading several articles, I learned that I needed to recognize the skills I already had and capitalize on those.  Giving myself permission to do this has led to faster progress and more fulfilling experiences as I’ve worked towards my goals.

Here are a few suggestions to gain insights into your talents and strengths: Continue reading “[Part 2a] Strong Foundation: 3 Ways to Identify Your Natural Strengths”

[Part 1] Unlock Your Potential with a Life Plan

Woman in Meadow
]1 Copyright: maridav / 123RF Stock Photo
Do you ever find yourself coming to a point in life and asking yourself “What now?” Many things (good and bad) can prompt that question. Doors to opportunities open and close. We finish schooling and professional development.  We enjoy progress and success. Or we face challenges and setbacks. Personal and family difficulties arise. A life plan with goals and objectives can turn these “what now” moments into Continue reading “[Part 1] Unlock Your Potential with a Life Plan”

How to Start Working for Yourself Right Now

Food Service Worker
]1 Copyright: lisafx / 123RF Stock Photo
For a really long time, I felt frustrated that I had to spend my waking hours working for someone else, helping them achieve their dreams and goals while my own sat by the wayside waiting for me to get around to them. Continue reading “How to Start Working for Yourself Right Now”

How Much Time Did You Spend Planning Your Last Vacation?

Copyright: sidelnikov / 123RF Stock Photo
Copyright: sidelnikov / 123RF Stock Photo
Can you think of the last time you went on a vacation?  Maybe it was with your family or a group of friends.  Perhaps it was to an amusement park or a camping trip.  When you left, you wanted to have a good time and arrive safely to and from your destination.  Before leaving you had a map of how to get there and a plan of what you needed to take, how much money you needed, and what you were going to do.

How much time do you take getting ready for a vacation?  Most people are planning for months ahead of time.

Now, think about how much time you are taking to plan for life? Continue reading “How Much Time Did You Spend Planning Your Last Vacation?”

Shaking up the Stagnant

Copyright: kavram / 123RF Stock Photo
Copyright: kavram / 123RF Stock Photo
As you are entering the adulthood portion of your life, you probably have hopes and dreams.  You have an idea of what you want life to be like when you are 25, 35, 45, and onward.  Perhaps there are milestones you hope to reach. Maybe you have observed things in your parents’ lives that you hope to improve in your own.   Continue reading “Shaking up the Stagnant”