AYD - October 5, 2012 - Planning Makes Perfect

"Most people spend more time planning their summer vacation than planning their lives."
- Source Unknown

This point does not need alot of explanation to hit home, or to make the connection.

Think about a vacation you took.  First, it was a "vacation".  The word represents a book of emotions and feelings and motivations.  Time away to from your routine to enjoy.  Time to see someone or something that is exciting and you are not always able.  Something to look forward too.  Something of value.

We plan ahead.  We anticipate.  We feel good now thinking about being there then.  We get excited thinking about the result.  We put in extra effort to plan it, pay for it, get ready for it, and to make sure we have a checklist of actions and plans to make the big plan successful.

Why should setting our goals be any different?
Why do we settle into a routine in our life and accept that as, "The way it is", and live anxiously for those "insert vacation here" moments?

Where is the parallel we need to make, between the energy we fertilize for a vacation...and the energy we SHOULD fertilize for a life changing goal or skill or financial plan or education or .... the list goes on. 

The planning takes the same amount of energy.

Sometimes I like to sit and ponder how I miss these obvious connections.  I like it because then I see them, and I give them time to grow ... and instead of regret, I feel gratitude that I see it now.

I get excited planning a trip for my wife and son, and today I am excited planning out my fitness goals so I can be a more healthy husband and father....for my wife and son. 

All it takes ... is a few moments to see why we apply so much of ourselves to one idea to get a refreshing result... and pick up that template of thought and apply it to another chapter of our life for the same kind of benefits... ( and potentially lasting a lifetime).