Introduction
What separates successful people from those who struggle is that successful people have a vision for their lives and take steps to get closer to it each day.
Your days and years will be meaningless unless they are carefully connected with your clear vision, goals, and activities.
In this write-up, I will share 10 reasons to compel you to sit down with paper and pen, phone notes, or tablets and outline your life’s vision, making constructive progress towards it. Without a vision, you are heading nowhere.
Part 1: What Life Is Not
Understanding what life is not is crucial. Failing to acknowledge this will leave you aimlessly drifting without substantial progress.
Here are 5 ways life is not:
1. Life is not hereditary.
Some people mistakenly believe that coming from a well-to-do and famous family guarantees their own success. While you can start with fame and riches, if you don’t plan and live well, you will lose everything. The prodigal son squandered what he was not trained to handle.
2. Life is not automatic.
Life cannot be an automatic acquisition of someone else’s toil and glory. The fact that your father lived well and earned a good name doesn’t mean you will have the same. You must be deliberate about how you want your life to be.
3. Life is not by chance.
Life is far from being a game of chance. Many lottery winners fail to do anything meaningful with their winnings. Without the training to handle wealth, you will fail to manage it wisely.
4. Life is not by accident.
Accidents happen instantly and unexpectedly. Life, however, is a gradual process of growth and maturity. Successful people have typically endured trials and challenges. Nothing comes by accident.
5. Life is not by religion.
Religious people often spiritualize responsibilities that they must take themselves. It can trap people in the past and present, preventing them from taking steps to realise their dreams.
Clearly, these five areas do not capture the true essence of life. Living a desirable life requires more than wishing for it—it must be planned.
Part 2: What Life Is
If the above are not sufficient foundations for pursuing life, what areas should we explore?
Here are 5 reasons why you must plan your life:
1. Life must be planned.
If you don’t plan, you plan to fail. People who don’t plan for retirement often end up poor and struggling, despite their previous success. If you don’t plan your life, life will give you whatever you deserve.
2. Life must be intentional.
Your life deserves every bit of intentionality you can muster. You cannot be passive and expect the best in the world. To be intentional is to be deliberate about how your life unfolds.
3. Life must be based on a vision.
You must head towards a vision or goal. No one starts a journey without a destination in mind. A vision is a clear picture of what you want your future to be. Don’t leave your future to chance—have a clear vision for it.
4. Life responds to choices.
Life responds to our choices based on a clear vision. Once you have a vision, it should guide your daily choices—how you use your time, money, and energy.
5. Life can be better.
No matter where you are now, life can get better if you start making the right choices. You must not remain stuck where life has placed you. Strive to become a better version of yourself.
These five points are crucial for anyone seeking to improve their life. Stop merely wishing things would get better. As a believer in God, make your plans and entrust them to His hands, and He will work wonders with you.
Conclusion
I am a product of life planning. I have come to understand that without planning and investing in my plans by the grace of God, I would endure poverty, a depressed job, and never be happy with myself. Planning helps secure the future. Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but the Lord’s counsel will stand.
Eric Otchere is dedicated to helping people with content that inspires them to make the right choices in life. Connect with him via otchereeric@gmail.com.
Inspiring Net 