Author: Byron Darden

Founder’s Corner – Back to School, Part I

Posted on by Byron Darden

When I finished the third grade as a young boy in public school, my parents decided to send me to a private school. I was in a carpool with other students, some going to the grade school where I attended, while others were dropped off at a nearby high school of the same caliber.

It wasn’t so much that I no longer went to school with my neighborhood friends where I was most familiar with the teachers in the community I called home. It was that I was to repeat the third grade. My parents told me that repeating the grade again would offer me the best start to an education of merit. In my eyes, I had failed. It was challenging to think that everyone would figure I wasn’t smart enough to progress to the next grade. I didn’t look forward to that school year.

As school gets started once again this year, not all of us will be looking forward to what is to come. There will be joy and excitement mixed with apprehension and weary anticipation for both school students and adult learners. What can be expected across the board are two considerations: that something new is ahead to learn and how important it is to embrace your inner strength; our focus this month.

Hi I’m Byron Darden with this edition of Leading with Purpose on Purpose. In this month’s blog we will be exploring what it means to be going back to school for all us in one way or another. It is my hope that you will take a step back and recognize that even uncertainty can be met with excitement as we learn new things about ourselves and one another and perhaps have just a little more compassion for those around us who need additional support on this new school year journey. Enjoy!

Welcome to From Classroom to Boardroom: The Leadership Lessons of Back-to-School Season

From Classroom to Boardroom: The Leadership Lessons of Back-to-School Season

Posted on by Byron Darden

As the summer sun begins to fade, I find myself reflecting on a familiar scenario. Across the US and in many countries throughout the world, children are buzzing with a mix of excitement and uncertainty (given the events of the past several years) preparing for a new school year. They’re selecting new supplies, and organizing their backpacks, and some are eagerly anticipating the return to their academic routines while others may not. This annual ritual of preparation and renewal isn’t confined to our personal lives; it has profound parallels in the professional world, especially at the executive level.

In fact, I recently had lunch with marketing executive, Theresa Spinale of an animation studio in the entertainment industry who quickly confirmed that indeed, the fall is a form of going back to school in her industry as well. It’s a time for fresh starts and new beginnings, something Theresa is experiencing as a new job is about to begin for her.

For those of us in a corporate setting, “Back to School” signifies more than just the return of children, or ourselves, to educational pursuits. It’s a powerful metaphor for our own professional journeys as leaders in business and in education. Just as students gear up for new challenges and opportunities, we, too, must continuously prepare, adapt, and set new goals. This season of transition is a reminder that leadership, much like education, is an ongoing process of learning and growth. It’s a time to reassess our strategies, refocus our efforts, embrace the opportunities that lie ahead, and test our flexibility for the unknowns that will inevitably arise during this seasonal transition.

REACH OUT

Learn how Fall is A Time for Business Renewal and Strategic Focus.

A Time for Business Renewal and Strategic Focus

Posted on by Byron Darden

In the world of merchandising, back to school is the time for selling school supplies, and new clothes for students, corporate, and education leaders (kids grow like weeds it seems during the summer, and last year’s clothes either no longer fit or are out of date). Socially speaking, it’s a time when students start up a new school year. Time to get back to their friends, move into a new grade; or like me having to repeat a grade in my formative years. It’s a time to learn new things, meet new people, and work with new teachers. So much about the fall is about new and hopefully exciting undertakings. 

Ultimately, Back To School boils down to mean Back To Business. Consumer spending is up. Commerce is waking up. Fashions are about to hit the market. Clients are ready to focus on their budgets mostly defined from October 1 to September 30 in the United States. This makes September a time to be looking at what is next for more than just students.

Fall signals a broader societal transition where clients, companies, and consumers alike refocus on their goals and objectives. This period is characterized by a renewed energy and commitment to progress, making it an ideal time for businesses, educators, and individuals to reassess their strategies, set new goals, and prepare for the final quarter of the fiscal year and the beginning of an education season.

The back-to-school mindset encourages a sense of urgency and a return to routine, providing a natural opportunity to realign with long-term objectives. This can include launching new initiatives, refining marketing campaigns, or focusing on professional development for business and school leaders.

Clients, too, are more receptive during this time, as they shift their attention from summer vacations to planning and executing the next steps in their personal and professional lives. Whether it’s seeking new services, products, or guidance, the back-to-school season creates a mindset of readiness and openness to new opportunities.

LET’S DISCUSS WHAT’S NEXT

Ready to dive deeper? Try Refocusing on Career Growth.

Refocusing on Career Growth

Posted on by Byron Darden

This time of year is significant for families with children returning to school, as it frees up parents to refocus on their careers. Some of those parents are school leaders focused on recovering from the impact of COVID that turned education upside down causing a major shift in the culture of school. The shift in routine that comes with the start of the school year provides parents with the mental and physical space to re-engage with their professional goals. With the daily demands of childcare reduced, parents can reclaim time and energy that can be channeled into career advancement, taking on new responsibilities, or pursuing professional development opportunities that may have been put on hold during the more chaotic summer months.

Likewise in the world of education, the re-engagement gives rise to the need to re-evaluate what it will take to accomplish this idea of re-establishing school culture, trust, morale, and relationships to where they were pre-Covid. This has a direct impact on parents who are in the business world rather than in education. The reality is that these different world contexts depend on and impact one another.

A personal case study of a past experience comes to mind:

I’m living in Boston, MA situated between two cemeteries. Either way I go, I will dead-end at the cemeteries of the community’s past residents. While I do not have children, the township in which I live depends on its residents to support a tax increase to pay for much-needed improvements in the local school system. I vote to increase the tax so that students in my community might have a more palatable opportunity for their education than I had growing up in Texas. 

At some point, I am in conversation with a neighbor in my community who questions my motivation to vote for an increase in the town’s taxes when I do not have children who will benefit. My reason is simple. I may not have children and yet my life is impacted by the quality of education they do or do not receive. Should students not be engaged at school, they are more likely to skip school altogether and become aimless in my community. For a youngster who is at an impressionable age, when education isn’t getting their attention, getting into trouble and being a blight on the community is! 

They are more likely to get involved in gang violence or spend time standing on corners and making it obvious to law enforcement that they are not in school where they ought to be. At this age, youth are more likely to get into trouble and fall prey to unsavory influences that lead to drug use, home break-ins, and other types of unacceptable behavior. I too have to live with these issues when I fail to do my part in my own community. I must do what is possible to support the education that is provided for the neighborhood in which I live.

Education is not just the responsibility of those with children, it is the responsibility of us all to keep our communities safe, and inspire children to remain engaged in worthwhile activities, and motivated to learn. Lesson learned; when any of us fail to pitch in we all lose, not just the children and the families to which they belong. When we look at it as a community effort, we are including everyone within it. 

It can be difficult to look at what is next in your career when your community is in shambles. When you’re working towards promotions, managing more, and taking on different responsibilities, you can be distracted by questioning what is going on back at home. Especially when what is going on back home is not working. When you are focusing on upping your game at work, to become noticed for your contributions to an organization, team, or project, worrying that your home might be vandalized or your neighborhood compromised in some way is a distraction that will get in the way.

Moreover, the back-to-school season isn’t just about younger students; it’s also a time when educational institutions offer courses for adults, making it an ideal moment for anyone considering further education or training. This environment of widespread learning and growth fosters a mindset of improvement and ambition. As professionals, it’s a reminder that our personal and career development are lifelong pursuits, not confined to traditional schooling years.

For leaders to prosper, the holistic view of their lives must encompass the choices they make at home as well as at the office. Leaders know all too well that when their skill level is not where it needs to be, promotions and increased salaries are less likely to happen. Parents are less likely to provide as well for their families and those families without children suffer as well.

Often, this is when I see executives preparing for new roles that demand not only new skills, and also a shift in mindset. The back-to-school period symbolizes a time of renewal, making it an opportune moment to reassess career trajectories and set new goals. 

I help leaders get promoted, and this requires them to be coachable—and open to learning, even when it challenges their comfort zones or existing beliefs. Just as students are expected to adapt to new curricula and environments, leaders must be willing to embrace change and growth, continuously evolving to meet the demands of their roles. Even when what you are learning may seem to go against the grain of what you believe, trust, or what makes you comfortable. 

I recognize that while we may wish for life to go back to the way it was at a time in the past, the reality is that going back to a past time is not possible. Instead, our new selves must find a new way to show up. That is why I find it difficult to embrace the phrase, “new normal.” One might ask, what is normal and that definition is different for different people. Another consideration is that not everything from the past was necessarily working. That is why I find it difficult to embrace the phrase, “in the good ole days.” The truth of the matter is that not everything was necessarily “good.”

I think we might be more effectively served to embrace the possibility of reinvention instead. For instance, who we were and how we did what we did before 2020 is done. It is time to see life for what it is and what it is not. What it is now can be summed up by the advent of hybrid work conditions. It is unlikely we will ever go back to working in an office in the manner we once did. The whole world changed and we will experience less suffering when we embrace new ways of being and doing in all aspects of our lives. Seeing the world through the lens of  “that was then and this is now” can open up possibilities that did not exist before. 

I’ve encountered many moments where learning something new triggered hesitation or fear. These feelings are natural, just as my reaction to repeating the third grade triggered hesitation and fear, especially when the learning process challenges deeply held beliefs or pushes individuals into unfamiliar territory. Yet, in every instance, I’ve used those lessons to grow and to help others grow. The discomfort that comes with stepping outside of one’s comfort zone is often a precursor to significant personal and professional breakthroughs. When you commit to continuous learning, nothing can stop you except the end of your life. Just keep in mind that the number one and two greatest fears of many leaders is presenting in front of an audience and death…in that order! As long as you remain open to new ideas, skills, and perspectives, the potential for growth is limitless, and the opportunities for advancement are boundless.

LET’S TALK

Founders Corner – Life Planning Part II

Posted on by Byron Darden

August is Vacation month for many hard-working executives. It’s a time when many take their traditional annual vacation to rest, relax and maybe catch up on your reading list. We often spend more time with family and friends. See new vistas and visit places you’ve always wanted to go. Here at Triple Axle Executive Coaching, it’s planning month for our next 12 blogs we plan to publish. 

As we move into this month [August], I’m excited about the many celebrations coming up. All for different reasons. Some of which you’ll probably identify right away from having read our blog since 2021.

For instance, we are celebrating American Artists Appreciation Month. Coming from a performance artist background myself, and having dabbled in photography, drawing and design (furniture and interiors), I’m humbled by learning there is a month when we acknowledge the many creative artists in our midst.

There’s also Black Business Month, which is a reminder to me of having started seven different businesses in my career and now mounting the eighth as an executive coaching company. 

National Golf Month has a distant connection in my life when one of my relatives encouraged me to pick up the game when I lived in Boston. She said, “more decisions are made on a golf course than in any boardroom. Learn to play the game and see what happens.” While I did get myself a set of clubs and visited the Nashoba Valley driving range on a weekly basis, I didn’t quite take to the game of golf that nearly all my aunts and uncles have and continue to play in their 90s.

There are also special days of celebration that include National Womens and Women’s Equality Day, respectively on August 9th and 26th. My three decades of coaching women in figure skating have morphed into the two decades of helping women overcome imposter syndrome, release trauma to their confidence and inspire me to devote so much of my attention to women’s issues and build strong relationships with the women in my life.

World Humanitarian Day is celebrated on August 19th which sets the stage of Be Kind to Humankind Week celebrated August 25th till the end of the month. More than anything, my passion is to help executives seek their humanity in leading others. So I’m especially humbled by the notion that we observe humanitarians as appreciative contributors to society.

Then there’s one of my favorite acknowledgments that kicks off the month on the 1st, National Simplify Your Life Week; something I recently began doing before I knew there was a formal celebration designated to do so. Truth be known, with all the hoarders I’ve encountered in my experience, I try to simplify my life several times throughout the year.

Given so many reasons to celebrate, we’ve decided to coin it, Equality Acknowledgment and Endorsement Month.

Hi, I’m Byron Darden with another edition of Leading with Purpose on Purpose. As we conclude  our series on Transitions, we are building on what we began last month by introducing the transition of Life Planning. While recharging your battery, we invite you to give your future Life some thought.

To support you, we’re offering you some helpful ideas and tips on how to think about your future through Life Planning.

You may recall that I started my Life Planning in 2008 just before the Savings and Loan meltdown rocked our economic comfort zone. At the time, I had no awareness that my financial life would go into a tale spin. That event signaled my move to New York and the beginning of living my Life Plan in ways I couldn’t have imagined, with all the unexpected twists and turns that uncertainty brings to the impermanence of everything, everywhere, for everybody

You’ll learn about The Three questions that will get you thinking in ways you may never have considered before. We delve into the Heart’s Core; the center of what’s most important to you.

Come the fall it is my guess, somewhat from years of experience, that returning energized and invigorated from vacations, time away, sabbaticals, and in my case, my annual writing retreat, you will be set up for success. The season will change with the return to school mindset or continuing education, and you’ll have a refreshed perspective on what is most important to you. 

Once you get back to your roles as leaders, let’s plan to connect and explore how you can create the life you love. Enjoy!

Life Planning requires that you take Time to Think. Read on for more suggestions.

Time to Think

Posted on by Byron Darden

Creating a life plan is a crucial step in setting yourself up for both personal and professional success. It allows you to outline your aspirations, set clear goals, and develop a strategic approach to achieving them. Below is a list of activities to help you start thinking about your life-planning journey

Journal to Generate Ideas

Journaling is a powerful tool to brainstorm and organize your thoughts. It is a chance to explore what you truly want to achieve in life. Write down your aspirations, reflect on your current situation, and explore potential paths to your goals. You might be surprised by the breakthroughs that come to light with a regular journaling practice.

Setting Goals

During the Life Planning process, you will discuss your goals for the future, personally and professionally. I urge you to make them specific. For example, instead of saying you want to be CEO someday, set a goal of becoming CEO within 2 years and the steps you will take to get there. Instead of stating that your goal is to be healthy, set a goal to lose 20 pounds in 6 months by walking 30 minutes a day and eating fruit instead of cake for dessert. 

For some, specificity can feel like putting guardrails on your vision. From experience, a lack of specificity has not held me back from reaching my goals, just not how I envisioned it at the start. An RLP can help focus your goals.

Create a Vision Board

One tool that is used to bring goals and ideas to life is a vision board. It can serve as a daily reminder of your dreams, keeping you motivated and focused. Start by collecting images, quotes, and symbols that represent your desired future. Work with your RLP to construct the vision board.

Do Some Research

Looking back at your journal and your goals, think about what is standing in the way of your dreams. Is it a lack of education or a skill you’d like to develop?  Do a little research to see how you might close the gap.

Consider Your Life Experience

Chances are that you have more skills than you realize. Make a list of your past achievements, rewards, training, and more. That workshop you took last year may give you unique qualifications to achieve your goals. In addition to your achievements, consider your perceived obstacles. An RLP can help you turn setbacks into breakthroughs.

Build a Support System

In addition, be thinking about the people in your life that you could turn to for support, including friends, relatives, mentors, and experienced professionals. Building relationships 6yhb provides valuable insights, guidance, and support, enhancing your life planning process.  As an RLP client, you join a network of professionals who can support you in acquiring the knowledge, making contacts, planning and executing the steps necessary to bring your life-planning dreams to fruition. Ask me about our transition program, Chrysalis Conversion.

LET’S CONNECT

Continue to see Life Planning in Action.

Life Planning in Action

Posted on by Byron Darden

You may ask how I have come to learn so much about life planning myself and I can tell you that I have been living my formal life plan since I created my first one back in 2008. The S&L crisis had hit. I owned two homes in Washington state. I lost all my income while traveling globally providing leadership training and coaching to corporate executives as a contractor for a company. I was frustrated and scared. I had no idea what to do. 

One day during a conversation with my mentor Kathy, she suggested trying an exercise called The Three Questions. At first, they seemed rather simple. First came the task of imagining I had all the money I needed to do anything I wanted. It is a chance to dream big, pull out all the stops, and draw on my skills as an actor on stage believing I could be anything I wanted, do whatever I pleased, and have whatever came to mind. It was a fun and exhilarating experience. I did not hold back and abandoned resistance. 

Then I had to consider what I would do should I discover that I only had a short time left to live. What will I do with the time I have remaining? It was a sobering thought. At first, I tried to fit everything into the time I had left. It was during this activity that my values and burning desires took shape and reminded me of just how committed I was to going after things that held my attention and how I would let go of what I did not feel as strongly about. 

Then came the kicker question: What would I do if this were my last day? What would I miss? Who did I not get to be? What did I have to let go of doing? These are not questions we think about because the idea of death is one we rarely allow ourselves to dwell upon. That is unless you had a belief system that supported that type of thinking. It was a sobering activity and a powerful one to help me set priorities in a way I hadn’t considered.

Next, we looked at another activity called the Heart’s Core. It is one of the activities I used today to help clients get in touch with what is core to them about what they dream about, some of which they cannot imagine could come true. That was me then!

As we went through the activity I discovered a different way of thinking about my dreams as they pertained to the three questions. There was an order to identify, people I determined would possibly be involved, and where my dream could take me. It was a system of thinking in a certain way that made my dreams actually look possible rather than not possible at all. Something about being in the form of a grid helped me organize my thoughts and see how I could use the concept of patterns to see how one thing was linked to another.

Since 2008, I’ve updated my life plan twice. Once when I began my training to learn about Life Planning. A second time when I started my mentorship program to solidify the process of supporting others. Now I revisit my life plan once at the start of each year. Guess what? With few alterations, I’ve been living my life plan to the point of honing it rather than totally retooling it. Each year it gets clearer and very real. 

In fact, Triple Axel Executive Coaching exists because of my first stab at life planning sixteen years ago. My company is slowly expanding to include my passions in a conglomerate that is taking shape. I now live in New York where I dreamed of moving some day. I live in a wonderful place that I once thought would only be a pipe dream. I have a financial planner that I did not have before I started. I also became a public speaker, and a published author and have taught all over the world. I even learned more about a business that resulted in me earning my MBA.

TELL ME YOUR STORY

Join us as we wrap up this series with Proven Results and why I say Don’t Go It Alone.

Proven Results

Posted on by Byron Darden

Understanding how many people engage in life planning can provide valuable context for its importance. 

Let’s use setting a New Year’s resolution as an example. On January 1st, you might set a “goal” of losing weight.  For the first week or two, you skip desserts and head to the gym (you might even buy a membership).  Here’s the problem – your goal is weak – how much weight do you want to lose? How are you going to do it?  Do you have a support system? As a result of not taking time to explore these questions, you revert back to your old habits rather quickly.  

Now, let’s suppose your goal involved writing a contract with yourself, finding a friend on the same path, and tracking your progress with an online program. Your chances of success are much greater.  

A study by Dominican University found that individuals who wrote down their goals shared them with others, and sent regular progress reports were 33% more likely to achieve their goals than those who merely formulated goals in their minds. I tried the mind method many times. The trouble with that choice is the invariable “traffic jam” – as my big sister Billie calls it – that exists in our heads. You have to get out of that traffic jam to see a clear path to take.

According to the research, individuals who took the proactive step of writing down their goals, as opposed to keeping them as abstract ideas, were significantly more likely to achieve them. This group documented their objectives and shared these goals with others, thereby creating a sense of accountability. 

Additionally, by sending regular progress reports, individuals maintained a continuous focus on their goals, which further contributed to their success. This emphasizes the power of concrete actions and social support in the goal-achievement process, suggesting that structured and shared goal-setting can dramatically enhance personal and professional success.

The same concepts can be applied to life planning; it’s just a bit bigger goal.

Don’t Go It Alone

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” — Benjamin Franklin

This quote by Benjamin Franklin underscores the critical importance of planning in achieving success. It highlights that without a clear and structured plan, the likelihood of failure increases significantly. Franklin’s wisdom aligns with the findings of modern studies, emphasizing that deliberate and thoughtful life planning is essential for realizing one’s goals and aspirations.

Taking the first step towards creating a comprehensive life plan can be both exciting and overwhelming. To make this process smoother, consider reaching out to me, a seasoned coach and Registered Life Planner, for guidance and support. 

We can create a detailed and actionable life plan tailored to your unique needs and aspirations. My expertise and my team will provide you with the tools and support necessary to navigate your journey successfully. Avoid the wait— schedule a call today to start crafting the life you envision.

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Founder’s Corner – Life Planning

Posted on by Byron Darden

Someone once said to me, “How can I plan my life when life is ever-changing and unpredictable?” I found it a thoughtful question and a reasonable one to ask. While I believe it to be true that we cannot predict what will happen tomorrow or in the next minute for that matter, planning for the future has always been a worthy consideration –  as long as we do not become attached to our plans. Yet, having a plan in place is how many choose which schools to attend for a degree, what cities to live in that offer opportunities, and the qualities to look for in a mate versus remaining single. 

Some plans we look forward to and are eager to engage in.

I’ve witnessed couples planning their wedding. What colors to consider? Which caterer to hire? Who will be invited to that special day? Those same couples may plan for a family. How many children do they dream of having? What neighborhoods do they wish to live in? Which schools to send their children to? Those types of plans may lead to the type of job you want, the roles that are most important to you to take in your profession, and how much money you want or need to earn. 

Other plans are necessary and not so much fun to contemplate.

Recently I heard from a former client who shared that she is embarrassed to admit that, as she nears retirement, she has not planned out investments so that she has the money to retire comfortably. She admitted that planning for this next phase of her life is not something she looks forward to doing. So she simply avoids the topic altogether. This is a pervasive reality for many of us who don’t want to think about retirement. Yet, avoiding the topic doesn’t make its reality go away.

Life is full of plans. Some go as hoped while others, well, require rethinking. And just because you make plans, how you intend to carry out your plans may not always seem so clear. 

As a part of human nature or how we’ve been conditioned to act, we often find ourselves planning for the future – however unsure the future may be.

What I’ve discovered is that when it comes to the type of plans we make later in life, it can be the difference between planning the life you envision for yourself and living the life that someone else envisions for you, leaving your wishes out of the equation entirely. 

Hi, I’m Byron Darden with another edition of Leading with Purpose on Purpose. In this latest installment in the series on Transitions we began publishing in December 2023, we explore the value of Life Planning. The connection to our theme this month draws on the fact that more than a dozen countries celebrate Independence Day. So in keeping with the significance of gaining independence we thought it fitting to acknowledge the importance of doing so by planning ahead for the abundant life that is your birthright.

I’ve been supporting executive leaders for over 20 years in planning their climb up the corporate ladder and how to strategically navigate the process. Now I’ve drawn on that wealth of experience to support you in planning the life you most desire, rather than just hoping for the best that life has to offer. Because too many of us fail to plan for what is most important to us. Focusing on your passions, your dreams, and your greatest desires, I’ve learned first-hand the value of Life Planning. 

It began for me in 2008 when a dear friend and colleague offered me an opportunity to plan for what is next in my life. It was a profound experience unlike any I had before. While I had planned out my life as a skater as well as my rise as a stage actor, and my ultimate move to New York, these were all centered around my career. What I hadn’t considered was planning for the aspects of my life that were most important to me. Getting clear on how my life beyond my career might look. 

I was stunned to discover how many plans I made over the years without much thought to how retirement might fit in, as well as what and how I would like to give back. Particularly considering the countless opportunities that came my way and not by my own efforts. In fact, taking advantage of Life Planning is how I found my way to New York and what prompted me to begin Triple Axel Executive Coaching. 

Just to give you a taste of what Life Planning can do for you, I not only planned how my company would form and unfold, I even planned the last two-year pivot through which I’ve been transitioning in real time since we began publishing this series. 

You may have noticed that over the past eight months, our website has gone through a transformation. Our colors have changed from orange to several hues of blue. Our logo is different. Our services are more dynamic. And while we continue to specialize in serving women in leadership, we are also now inclusive of all executives and the various types of organizations in which they lead. We’re primed to help organizations become more inclusive, support them in facing change, and provide coaching to executives to sharpen their skills. In order to navigate promotions more effectively, we help leaders develop their personal brand, and guide our clients to build on what they do in business by also helping them identify what comes next in their lives.

As you read this month’s blog on Life Planning Part One, think about how you can benefit from allowing us to help you make way for your life’s passions. Enjoy!

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Continue to this month’s blog on Life Planning!

One with You: Life Planning

Posted on by Byron Darden

It’s easy to get swept away by the cycles of daily life. We find ourselves caught in a cycle of routines, obligations, and unforeseen events, rarely taking the time to pause and reflect on where we’re headed. Last month, we discussed the importance of mindfulness and staying in the present moment with our tasks. This is extremely important. So is looking ahead. This is where life planning comes into play—a process that empowers you to take control of your future, align your actions with your goals, and ultimately lead a more fulfilling and purposeful life.

Life planning is not just about setting goals; it’s about envisioning the life you truly desire and mapping out the steps to get there. It involves a holistic approach, considering every aspect of your existence, from career and finances to health and relationships. By dedicating time to planning your life, you create a blueprint that guides your decisions, helps you navigate challenges, and keeps you focused on what truly matters.

In this blog, we will explore the nuances of life planning, exploring how it can enhance your sense of direction, improve your mental and emotional well-being, and provide a clearer vision for your future. Whether you’re at a crossroads, seeking greater balance, or striving for personal growth, life planning offers invaluable benefits that can transform your journey. Life planning can help you craft the life you’ve always envisioned or create a vision for the life you want to have.

Your Personal Road Map

Life Planning is your very own guide that draws from your personally developed itinerary focused on your most desired places to go, sights to take in, experiences to savor, identifying the causes you want to champion, and being with the people dear to you, on your most significant journey imaginable. 

Your guide is tailored for and by you, matching what’s core to why you are who you are; taking into account what you yearn for most. You’ll discover what obstacles might get in your way. Determine who can help you overcome them. You’ll even have the freedom to exercise your option to choose the timing to take action on possible adjustments to keep your journey on course.

When you find that certain aspects of your itinerary no longer align with your initial planning, you can let them go. This includes adding new choices to your itinerary, including changing where you wish to travel, expanding or scaling back your list of people to be with, and shifting experiences based on your change of heart.

Essentially, Life Planning is a roadmap that identifies what is most important to you that is born of your dreams and aspirations. It’s a way of taking wishes and fantasies and turning them into a plausible approach to making them a reality. 

What Life Planning is not, is a plan for the end of life. By contrast, it is as the title suggests. It is a way of looking at your life in terms of what can be possible when we allow ourselves to dream and then look at ways of turning dreams into reality. It is also not a plan full of guardrails. Instead, guidelines for how to move forward. It also is not a constriction that can not be altered. 

As the saying goes, “Life happens when you’re making plans.” The suggestion is that life does not go according to plan. While this is often true, the lack of a plan provides you with no starting point nor ultimate attainment of something important to you because you chose not to put whatever it is in motion. Life planning allows you to consider what you really value most and then map out steps to move you in that direction. While you might find something else along the way, the life plan guides you to possible roads to travel. Something that I often heard as an athlete is a quote credited to Norman Vincent Peale, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”

DEFINE YOUR LIFE PLAN

Next comes Creating a Purpose and Direction