It's Time for a Checkup

It’s July – summer is in full bloom. For many of us this means vacations with the family, cookouts on the back deck, long days of fun and yard work. In my life, summer is also a catalyst for my mid-year checkup – not a physical checkup, something more personal, a Life Plan checkup.

Based on years of coaching from Daniel Harkavy at Building Champions, here’s how my personal Life Planning process works:
Life Plan – Daniel challenged me several years ago to decide NOW what I want to be true in my life in 30 years. He asked me to write it down, in detail. In my case, my life plan is divided into five “accounts” - Faith, Health, Family, Influence and Finances.
Annual Plan – Then Daniel asked me to determine the things I need to do THIS YEAR to move towards my vision of the future. These activities are the stuff my annual plan is made of. I have written goals and tactics for each account.
Plan Review – For me, the more I review my plan, the better my batting average on execution. I have a short attention span and it seems, an even shorter memory. So, for a long time, I tried to read my entire plan every day. Because it’s a lengthy document, I finally gave up on that. However, I understood the power of frequent review so, I created a mind map of my plan and that image is on my computer desktop. I also carry a laminated, credit card size copy of the mind map in my pocket. It’s like the sheet of plays an NFL coach carries on the sidelines. I also schedule time to review my complete, written plan throughout the year.
So how’s my year going? It depends on your point-of-view. As I reach the mid-point of the year, I’ve made tremendous progress on some items and far less on others. But, because progress is my goal not perfection, I’m generally pleased.
Assuming you have a personal plan of some sort, here are four ideas for you to consider as you do your mid-year checkup:
Celebrate the victories! Don’t beat yourself up. You need to acknowledge the things you’ve accomplished in the first six months.
Identify Gaps – Where are you behind? What did you hope to accomplish that you haven’t yet? Be honest regarding your progress.
Decide What to Change - This is YOUR plan. You can change any part of it you’d like. The games not over - it’s just halftime. Maybe you need to change the plan or perhaps you should change the way you approach the plan. You get to decide.
Update the Plan – If you change your plan or your goals, I recommend updating the written document. A personal plan should be a dynamic not static.
Life Planning is a tool to help you live the life you were meant to live. Do your mid year checkup and then head to the pool – it’s summertime![GLS_Shield]
 

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