Making Plans? Should You Focus on the Future or Focus on Today?

How many times have you been asked or asked yourself, "Is there a plan?" or "What are your plans?" We are encouraged to keep date books, calendars and To Do lists in order to keep track of all of our daily plans and schedules but when it comes to making long-term plans, many of us may find ourselves at loss. How can we plan for an uncertain future? When we make long-range plans, do we focus on where we are today or where we hope to be years down the line?

When it comes to long-range planning, there are several approaches that can be helpful depending on your situation. One approach is to start with long term goals and work backward to determine the tasks and milestones necessary to reach those goals. This works well if you are planning a trip or a major purchase and need to determine how much to save on a regular basis in order to save enough to make it happen or when you need to accomplish certain steps or licensure in order to obtain a specific goal.

Some other long-term plans are best made a little more loosely and then putting the focus on living for today. For example, if one of your life goals is to find a life partner and settle down into a joint living arrangement, this may be one of those plans that is best made as a goal and then to put your energy and focus on living each day fully. Instead of trying to hatch out a ten-point plan to find a mate, your energy might be better spent making friends, doing things you enjoy and just having a life.

Life plans are often a combination of specific goals, looser goals, steps to achieve those desired goals and letting go to focus on living in the moment. It is important to be able to foster and grow your dreams and life goals without losing site of the nuances and surprises that happen in each day. It is okay to include some openness and spontaneity and allowances for the unpredictable in your plans and you can still consider THAT a form of planning.