Craft a Career Life Plan in 3 Easy Steps

I am frequently asked to help someone get started writing a personal development plan. I think everyone’s plan looks different because we all are starting at different places. I believe, however, that there are some common questions, which can help all of us think about how we should be developing. Take a break from your daily routine, grab a cup of coffee, a pen and some paper, and think through these three questions. Keep in mind, I can’t write your plan for you, but these may be tools to fuel your thoughts toward personal development. 1. Where am I now? Be honest with yourself. What are your strengths and weaknesses? Where do you most need to improve? Consider each aspect of your life. Where are you in your career, family, social, financial, physical, emotional and spiritual well-being? Which of these areas are most neglected? In which areas do you excel? 2. Where do I want to be? Think in terms of each of the categories above. Think through six months, one year and five years. What areas do you most need to improve? In what areas is improvement most critical? What areas, if you were to address them, would improve your overall satisfaction with life? What are some dreams you have for each area? Where do you get excited about the idea of stretching yourself to achieve them? 3. How can I get there? For every goal you say you want to achieve, write some concrete action steps ... a plan to get you there. What are some measurable goals you could implement to help you achieve them? This is the hardest part, but simply write one or two action steps for each broad goal. You will need to update this plan periodically with your progress and you can continually add to and refine these action steps. The key is that you take action to move forward in the direction you want your life to develop. Ask yourself: Where do I need more training? Do I need a mentor? Could I use more practice? Who could hold me accountable? Now work the plans; take action. A piece of paper with plans of them, or an idea in your head, is worth very little until you take steps to achieve them. The best day to get started is today! This sounds simple, but if you will spend a few hours thinking through your individual plan for personal development, the time could make the difference in whether or not you achieve the goals you have for your life. When you finish this plan, you won’t necessarily have a professional looking document you could turn in to your college professor, and there are certainly methods more complex for writing a personal development plan, but for me the end goal is progress toward my goals, and most of us are more likely to do something that is easy and less time consuming. This is a method I can and do use frequently.