Why on earth have a 5 Year Plan?

Have you ever been to the supermarket and forgotten to buy an item you needed? Whenever this happens the consequences are pretty minor.

If this has never happened to you then either you have a fantastic memory or you have a list (i.e. a plan) of what you intended to buy.

The consequences suddenly become less trivial if you apply this situation to your life.  Imagine coming to the end of your days with a long list of things you wanted to experience but had never attempted. It might have been that you didn’t have time, that other things appeared more important or you just didn’t know what you wanted.

Whatever the excuse: the pain of regret would be indescribable.

The easiest way to avoid this pain is to make a 5 year plan.

Deep down you will have things you would like to achieve. It could be building a successful career, raising a happy family or making a positive difference in the world.

Transforming these goals from unconscious desires into a plan is crucial for your long term success and happiness.  It will clarify your thinking, give you a map towards your goals and can motivate you to develop your skills and character.

But why 5 years?

In the space of five years you can do almost anything if you put your mind to it.

The first step in creating your 5 year plan is to make a series of decisions about what you would like to do.

Try some of these simple ideas to get you started:

Once you have been through your goals with these questions you should start to have a better idea as to what you want to pursue in your 5 year plan.