Opinions on 5 year plans.

1. 53

   wrenfrost56posted 15 years ago

   I am thinking about my life and that maybe a 5 year plan will help me. On one hand I think it will help me prioritize and channel my energy, on the other I am not sure if it will just lead to disapointment and is maybe a bit over ambitious. Any thoughts or opinion would be appreciated, thanks in advance

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   1. 0

      Pacal Votanposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I think a five year plan could be a good thing. Why would it lead to disappointment? Even if you don't succeed in everything you plan you can say you have tried. And better than that you may know what to do differently...

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      1. 53

         wrenfrost56posted 15 years agoin reply to this

         Good point P.V. thanks. Where are have hubs gone?

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         1. 0

            Pacal Votanposted 15 years agoin reply to this

            What are you talking about? I've never had any hubs.

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            1. 53

               wrenfrost56posted 15 years agoin reply to this

               Of course not sorry, must have got you confused with someone else.

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   2. 71

      Quilligrapherposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I suggest that you move ahead with your 5-year plan so long as the milestones and goals are reasonable and attainable.  Even a bad plan is better than no plan at all!
      Q.

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2. 67

   TimTurnerposted 15 years ago

   I think it's good but you have to be committed and make sure you eat/breathe/sleep your plan everyday.

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   1. 53

      wrenfrost56posted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I know it will be a huge commitment and if I decide to do it I want to give it 100%, however I also realize that there will need to be some flexability. I am not good with ridgility and I know a plan like this is a bit of an undertaking.

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3. 0

   Jenny-Anneposted 15 years ago

   I think you've hit the nail on the head with flexibility. Keeping it real I guess is the way to make a plan like this work. Good luck with it!

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   1. 53

      wrenfrost56posted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks JA, I think your right, it needs to be realistic and achievable. Thanks for the giving of good luck, I'm gonna need it.

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4. 0

   Pacal Votanposted 15 years ago

   I think the most important thing is to know what you want. Too many people go through their lives doing what they're doing, working their way in a certain direction without knowing what they really want out of it. I once heard someone say that we usually spend our lives climbing the ladder and then it sometimes happens that when we are at the top we realize it is set against the wrong wall. I'm just saying because this happened to me and when I got to my senses it was too late to start over. I hope you have your life's dream at the end of that road.

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   1. 53

      wrenfrost56posted 15 years agoin reply to this

      That makes sence, if your giving a lot of time and effort towards something, you want to make sure it's the right thing. I think maybe I want too much!

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      1. 0

         Scott.Lifeposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         I think the problem is people don't want enough and our constantly being fed the BS that they should be grateful for the scraps of the powerful and wealthy. I say always want more and keep reaching further, how will you ever know how far you can go if you only go as far as people tell you you can?

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         1. 84

            Marisa Wrightposted 15 years agoin reply to this

            I find the reverse is often true - I've met people who've committed themselves to 5 or 10 year plans to achieve something, and they become so focussed, they sacrifice their quality of life here and now.
            
            By all means, have a goal and a plan for how to achieve it, but make sure you enjoy life to the full in the meantime. 
            
            Before finalising your plan, always make sure to ask yourself, "if I found out I was going to die next year, what would I regret not doing?". After all, who knows what ill health or accident might be around the corner.

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   2. 90

      Dolores Monetposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Pacal - it's never too late to start over. Your whole life can be a series of starting overs.

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5. 60

   fdoleacposted 15 years ago

   Think five year goal, one year plan.  If you meet the milestones in your one year plan then you expand next year.

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6. 0

   Scott.Lifeposted 15 years ago

   I'm working on a ten year plan, but its more about achieving a certain goal in the end. The route is pretty flexible and open to change along the way as obstacles surface. Be open and plan for roadblocks while aiming for smaller goals or waypoints along the way and I think you will find that sticking to your plan is not as hard as you think. Persistence and determination will see you through before rigidity.

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7. 0

   Pacal Votanposted 15 years ago

   Can you see how the steps follow one another in your plan and what you do if certain conditions are not met at some point during the five years? How much do you think you are in control?

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8. 0

   Pacal Votanposted 15 years ago

   I've learned a word from luciendasky - resilience.

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9. 0

   ryankettposted 15 years ago

   I think that you should set yourself realistic time frames for each of your individual ambitions, and then seek to achieve them as quickly as possible. You will find that as your list thins out, new ambitions will replace those that have been achieved... it's a list that will never run out, but you will achieve so much more. Thats what I do anyway.
   
   It's a little like a mortgage, you take out a 25 year mortgage to make the term achievable.... but you will benefit in the long run if you manage to pay it off in 15 years. You then have 10 years where perhaps you can focus time and energy on achieving something else. Maybe you would then like to own a certain type of car within 10 years, or maybe you buy an investment property with that 10 years.

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10. 0

    Pacal Votanposted 15 years ago

    Oh, and did you know a 5-year plan counts as a short term plan? 15-20 years is medium term and above is long term.

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11. 66

    Ivorwenposted 15 years ago

    I look at 5, 10 and 20 year plans as a way of continuing to dream.  My dad taught me this in a very sad way:  He accomplished his life goals and ambitions by the time he was 25.  He enjoyed them while they lasted, but when they were over, he never set any new ones.  For the last 30 years he has just lived day to day, with very few real dreams.  He has had projects, but not dreams. 
    
    I fill my future plans with all sorts of crazy things, and then make realistic goals for today, tomorrow and the coming year, that will allow me to follow my dreams.

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12. 61

    Jane@CMposted 15 years ago

    I've never planned my life - isn't that odd? Maybe its time to start!  I planned on how I wanted to parent & followed through on that, but as for myself, my dreams are still just my dreams.
    
    I do however, plan money, its critical to know how much you want to save now & how to build on that savings.  Never know when that savings could save you
    
    Example: my daughter is just 19, she is a planner.  She knew roughly how much books would cost for next semester & put $xx into her savings every week from her meager paycheck & she has more than enough for books in January and its only November - so planning is a good thing!

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13. 78

    Nera Woodsposted 15 years ago

    A 5-year plan is good -- it will guide your decision-making, but be flexible, and don't be frustrated by setbacks.

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    1. 53

       wrenfrost56posted 15 years agoin reply to this

       Good advice, thanks.

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14. 80

    KCC Big Countryposted 15 years ago

    I've always written my goals and then set them aside.  There really is something magical about writing them down.  I go back months later and review my list and I'm always shocked at how many I've accomplished.  I've been doing this since high school and I'm closer to 50 than 40 now. 
    
    One thing I read years ago, that also helps, is to take some of your goals and break them down into mini things that you can do to help them along.  Then work on those.   For instance, let's say you want to go to Japan.  Let's assume for a moment that you are handed the money to go so that money isn't the issue since it usually is for many of our goals.  What all would you have to do to be able to go?  Write those steps down.  Do all of them that you can do now.  You can start with checking on flight and hotel info, ordering brochures, updating your luggage, etc.  As you do all of these little steps you will feel closer to your goal, and in fact, you will be closer.   You may find the money in ways you haven't dreamt about either.
    
    "Acting as if" helps.
    
    (I need to go sit down now, I'm starting to write a hub here...LOL)

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15. 80

    KCC Big Countryposted 15 years ago

    That's certainly a great way to prioritze your goals, Marisa.

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    1. 84

       Marisa Wrightposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       A good example is a colleague of mine from my old workplace. When he hit 60, he and his wife decided they'd go on a round the world cruise to celebrate when he retired at 65.  They scrimped and saved for the next 5 years, missing out on holidays and luxuries, so they could afford the best.
       
       His wife died two weeks before his retirement presentation.

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       1. 80

          KCC Big Countryposted 15 years agoin reply to this

          That's so sad, but it happens more than we realize.

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16. 70

    NaomiRposted 15 years ago

    I think it's great to have goals, but you also have to be flexible and realize that those goals might end up changing.

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