Which is more fulfilling to you, planning an event, or reviewing how it went after the fact? Has your preference changed over time?
Share why if you wish.
Category: Planning
Who Do You Want To Be Today?
Each day is an opportunity: where to go, what to do, how to act, and so on. Have you given any thought to what today will bring?
The typical lifespan will include nearly 30,000 days. That’s a lot of days! And while some heavily-scheduled days may leave little room for improvisation, for most we have choice regarding the details.
You might, for instance, get up early; you might stay up late. You could spend your time working, or maximize your personal time. Even if you have little flexibility, you can at least decide how to dress.
The decisions you make in the course of your day will help to define, ultimately, who you are. And the best part is that with 30,000 todays to choose from, there is plenty of opportunity to experiment with different choices. You are not locked in to one decision, and you can find what works best for you.
To make the most of all these choices, however, you might want to have some strategy going in. So rather than start each day wondering how you might want it to unfold, you may want to have a plan. Who do you want to be? Then make choices to make that person come into being.
For instance, let’s say you decide you are a little overweight, and in general not in good shape. You might decide to use a chunk of those 30,000 days to exercise more and eat more healthy food. Then you can make changes on a daily basis to reach that outcome.
In conclusion, who do you want to be today? And what decisions can you make this morning, to make that person come into being, both for today, as well as for the next month or more?
Related questions: What do you hope to learn today? Who are you? What is one thing you feel the need to do every day?
How Do You Handle Life’s Curveballs?
Life can be unpredictable. How do you respond when the unexpected happens, when life throws you a curveball?
For the most part, we like to live neat, orderly lives. We fill our closet with clothes we like to wear, stock our fridge or pantry with food options. We keep calendars with our schedules, so we know exactly what each day entails.
But life has a way defying expectations. Each day, hundreds of things happen that you didn’t plan for, that you didn’t see coming. Some might be good, like unexpected opportunities. And some might be bad, like accidents or emergencies.
With so many curveballs each day, developing a strategy to deal with them, if possible, is a good idea. Sticking with a plan has advantages, but so does being flexible. Striking the right balance between the two can be crucial.
How do you deal with the unexpected? Are you good at rolling with the punches, or do you try to plan for every possible outcome? How do you handle it when you are thrown a curveball?
Related questions: How do you plan for the future? Do you keep a to-do list? Planning or spontaneity? How has luck shaped your life?
What Does This Situation Need?
This question comes to us from the TV show Ted Lasso. In the context of the show, it is a strategy in football (soccer), but like many lessons from the show, it is applicable in every part of life.
When a situation develops and you find yourself struggling to take action, this presents a simple plan for handling it. Take a step back and think: what is needed at this moment in time? What is lacking that I can provide? What would make things better?
A key part of this advice is to just stop for a moment to assess. Oftentimes, particularly in a crisis, it feels like there is no time to think, only to act. In reality, though, the right action is much more effective than the wrong action, and taking a pause to consider may be the most important thing you can do.
Also important is determining the proper course of action. If the right action is significantly better than the wrong one, how can we determine what is right? How can we evaluate all the actions we might take to determine the optimal one?
This philosophy suggests thinking about what is missing. This can be challenging because every situation is different. And while at times what is missing is obvious, in others it can be hidden.
Maybe what is missing is communication — two people are both trying to achieve the same goal, but are going about it differently and aren’t working together. Or maybe there aren’t enough helping hands, so you might need to recruit some people to help out. Sometimes you just need some financial resources to add to the mix.
Of course, even if you can identify what is lacking, it’s not always possible to supply it. It is just important to recognize that, however, and look for other ways to address the lack. If you can’t provide what is missing, maybe you can provide someone else who can.
All of this relies on situational awareness and analysis. Being able to accurately figure out what is going on, determining why things are happening, and theorizing how things could be different with different actions taken is important. That takes practice.
Chances are there are areas in your life that could benefit from this way of thinking right now. Can you think of any? How can you test out this approach?
Related questions: How do you need help? How do you define success? When have you made good from a bad situation?
Plans Or Couch?
Do you like to make plans to go out with your family or friends? Or do you prefer a quiet night in, watching TV or a movie?
Share why if you wish.
Plans Or Couch?