Your Life Plan

There are three (3) basic aspects of creating a plan for your life. You have to consider your desired outcomes, your priorities, and the actions that must be taken. If you are seeking the right direction for your future, you have to know where you are right now. All throughout your life, you will have options. The choices that you make will bring you the outcomes that you achieve. Keep reading below to see what basic steps to take in order to lay out a plan for your life.

Desired Outcomes

Take a few minutes and write down what you believe your current strengths are. What is it that you are really good at right now? What level of education do you currently have? What skills do you possess that you believe could be applied in any job or career? Now, write down what you would like for your life to look like in five (5) years, one (1) year, or whatever time you would like to picture for the future. Instead of saying, "A year from now, I will be, do, have, etc." write it as if you are already there in the future. If today is October 12, 2009, the say... "Today is October 12, 2010 and I have, have achieved, have attained, etc." If you can create a picture of the future vividly in your mind, then you can simply life into that picture. You have to write down where you intend to be though. You can't just think about how good it would be to get there some day. You have to pick a timeframe in which you will achieve your desired outcomes.

Your Priorities

What is that you want to be know for when you are no longer here on this earth? The "tombstone test" is the idea of writing down the things that others would put on your tombstone or in your obituary. Will you be remembered as a great parent,a great sibling, a hard worker, a top performer, or a slacker, a wanderer, someone who did not find their direction in life. Understanding where you ought to end up in life has to do with understanding what you "want" others to say about you some day. You will find that you are the happiest when what you do for a living is in line with how you define your life. You will find yourself unhappy and possibliy even depressed when you are working at something that you consider unimportant. People are hard-wired to need that sense of purpose in life. You will also find that you achieve the highest levels of success when you are doing what you love. Take a few minutes and write down what values you believe define you right now and what values you want others to see in you. Then, write down the things in your life that you currently spend the most money and time on and which ones you feel deserve the majority of your finances and attention. Finally, write out what you are willing to give in order to ensure that you achieve your priorities and desired outcomes. Nothing in life is free, so you must be willing to sacrafice something in order to achieve your goals.

Actions To Take

Perhaps the most important aspect of mapping out your life is to take focused action. Once you know your desired outcomes and have outlined your priorities, you will need to lay out specific actions that must be taken. For example, if you want to make more money, you will need to decide if that can happen in your current position or if you will need to look at alternatives career choices. You will need to review your current educational achievements, what you have done for work, and where you want to be in the future. If you are unsure of what career you should pursue or what you are most likely to succeed at, it is a great idea to participate in a career assessment. The Workforce Readiness Tool is designed to take into account your style of thinking, your workplace interests, and your personality. If you want to be sure you take the right actions, the following is a good outline of what to do...

1. Write out your strengths and current abilities.
2. Take a career assessment to identify educational, career, and talent directions that you are likely to succeed at.
3. Explore the educational and career options that are laid out for you.
4. Interview / talk with people who are in the career or job you are matched up to.
5. Get the necessary education.
6. Work as a top performer in the career path you have chosen.
7. Stay focused on doing what you love!

To summarize, begin with the end in mind. Map out what your current strengths are and then assess yourself with a career profile. Explore your career options and work toward the that goal. Keep a picture of what your life can and will be like at a certain point in the future. Keep it in the forefront of your thought.

If you are ready to take charge of your life now, click this link and take the Workforce Readiness assessment.