10 Tips for Creating a Personal Strategic Plan
Draw on what you already have. If you have taken StrengthsFinder or similar tests, these can easily translate to values or be incorporated into your mission statement.
Consider a vision board as inspiration. You can print or cut images out of magazines that represent your authentic self and who you strive to be.
Define your purpose. Draft your personal mission statement. Who do you want to be? How do you want people to remember you? This is something that can help guide you when making big life decisions.
Don’t sweat the SWOT. Now, I don’t suggest that you have your whole family fill out sticky notes about your personal strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, but I do recommend having a process to reflect on what is going well and what parts of your life would you like to focus on. The Wheel of Life is a great tool for this.
Prioritize. Pick a few areas to narrow your focus (3-5 is recommended). Starting small and having consistency leads to success. Once you have your goals, you can build out tangible action steps or activities as well as realistic timeframes.
Keep it simple. Since this plan is just for you, it doesn’t have to be perfect. You know yourself better than anyone. Try not to overthink it.
Get creative. You can create your plan using virtual tools like Canva, borrow your child’s markers, or use fun fonts and color coding.
Celebrate success. Think about how to celebrate your accomplishments along the way and give yourself grace with the setbacks.
Keep it visible. Once your plan is complete, keep it right by your computer, or nightstand or a place where you will notice it and look at it a few times a week.
Adapt and evolve. A plan should be a working document and something that you can learn from and adjust as you go. Just don’t let it collect dust on a shelf!