– Rebecca Collins

Most of us have engaged in strategic planning for our business or career at one time or another, but have you applied these same principles to your personal affairs and goals? Have you really considered where you want to be in five, ten or even 20 years? And most important, are you on track to achieve your aspirations?

By looking squarely at the issues, considering what you really want the future to look like, and by discussing and documenting it, you have a much higher chance of attaining your goals.

It starts with a vision. This is as simple as outlining what you want your future to be. What would it look like without financial or time constraints? In contemplating your goals, give them clarity by defining your values. Think carefully about what is most important to you. Not what needs to be done right now, but what your priorities are. Your answer will give you a framework for decision making in all aspects of your life.

Once you’ve articulated your vision, the next step is to develop strategies to realise it in each aspect of your life. Ask yourself: what resources do I need and who do I need to help me to achieve my goals? Your advisors and advocates can provide you with clear perspective, help and accountability in stepping out of your day to day ‘busy-ness’ to allow you to focus on what really matters. These strategies will give you a roadmap of where you’re going; they’ll give you a route to follow instead of simply driving blind.

We all know the landscape can change on our journey, so it’s also important to consider risk management for unexpected life events. For example, ensuring you have an enduring power of attorney in place should you become unable to make decisions on your own behalf. Flexibility and regular monitoring are also crucial parts of any strategic plan.

This process takes some thought, time and reflection. Here at Enspira we see examples every day of just how important it is to identify the links between your day-to-day, year-to-year decisions and your longer term goals.

Most important to any plan is to execute it. Then live it and enjoy it!