It is very humble and normal to reflect on your life during key moments throughout the year – from birthdays, the beginnings of a new season, to the closing of the year in December, and more. During these times, many people have time for solitude, reflection, and a rethink about their lives and life itself. It’s a perfect time to think of your future.
Now, you may have noticed that planning is an essential part of modern society. You often hear corporate speak on a 5 year plan, and friends talk about their January health kicks for the year ahead.
A 10 year plan, however, can open up the door to an ideal future, depth of happiness, and much more compassionate life. Planning feels extremely satisfying to me, so in this post I’m sharing how to create one.
Vision Setting: How To Create Your 10 Year Plan
Why is a 10 year plan a key to success?
Studies across cultural dynamics show that much of human happiness comes down to relationships. Your happiness is defined by the quality of those relationships, having more meaningful moments in your life, compassion for others, and community engagement.
If you create a plan that incorporates the well-being and growth of others, you find meaning and purpose in such a plan (beyond money or bespoke self-interest). Not only do you have a greater chance of achieving your goals, but you also plausibly live longer, stay happier and help others to reap the same benefits.
P.S. Blue Zones Studies are a great starting place to find out more about meaning, community engagement, and lifelong health and happiness.
A 10 year plan can be seen as a metaphor for creating a life for yourself and others that reaches far beyond short-term goal setting. It is this vision and humility (followed by continual growth and energy from community engagement) that will give you the sustainable energy and resources to carry on long term.
Vision setting – creating your own 10 year plan
How do you create such a vision?
Creating your personal 10 year plan involves a few meaningful steps:
- Take time to assess your values and align each day with these values. Write down a list on a piece of paper or in your journal.
- Find your Ikigai – What do you love? What does the world need? What can you be paid for? What are you good at? If you start to live your life more in alignment with your values and practice working with your Ikigai, then you will create more positive emotions in your life than you would by pursuing the dream from a magazine (or things you have been told will make you happy).
- Acknowledge that the pursuit of happiness can create inner turmoil. It’s so common to chase happiness when instead you should create an inner environment for positive emotions to flourish. Build your world and create the inner and outer environment that stimulates the best chances of positive emotions for you. Have a morning routine, surround yourself with friends and family, have a 30 minute ‘you time’ per day to do something you enjoy.
- Volunteer your time and skillsets for the service of others and the community. You could volunteer at a school fare, help your local homeless shelter, or even use your skills to help communities in other countries. For example, if you are a graphic designer, you may volunteer your work to help a social enterprise in Uganda creating economic empowerment!
Actioning your steps
How do you action your steps for the best chance of success?
1. It is very important that you enjoy week one of your new task(s).
For example, if you wanted to train for a half marathon and you did not enjoy the first week of your regime, then there is a greatly increased chance that you will stop and not continue.
Write down on paper and create a “week one plan” full of positive emotions and growth. Here’s an example:
- You could go for a beautiful country walk with a friend the weekend before you begin jogging (to build up a baseline of fitness).
- You could go to a Pilates class with friends during the first week of training.
- Then, go for your first jog with a friend.
- Reward yourself after with a healthy and tasty meal (again, with your friend).
- This week is now full of time with friends, more enjoyment within the exercise and variety. This is much better than running in the rain alone!
2. Celebrate the small wins.
Have the big vision but allow the small tangible steps and the energy of others (supportive friends, family) to create sustainability. Every extra mile you run, every extra $1 you make or save, every time you make someone smile, every time you make modest progress, prepare a special ‘you time’ to pat yourself on the back.
3. Practice gratitude in a journal.
It’s easy to focus on the negative, and people can have a tendency towards this through a concept called negativity bias. It’s an unhelpful part of human psyche that makes the mind focus on bad things in particular.
You can counter this. Each day, write down three things you are grateful for. This could be someone making you a cup of tea, a nice text message, or even a beautiful view on a walk. You can train your mind to create new pathways with a concept called neuroplasticity. Everyone has two lenses; a negative and a positive one. They are always there and it is up to you which lens you choose to look through.
4. Practice mindful thinking.
Having a goal and vision is wonderful for your health. However, when you are with your loved ones and friends, it is important that you put your phone away for one hour, focus intentionally on the conversation, the tone, the words, and be mindfully aware of your connections with others.
The quality of your social connections is arguably the most important facet of your health and happiness. If you’re a parent who returns home from work and their child hugs them, embrace that hug, and for those 5 seconds nothing else in the world matters. The dinner, your work, your problems, none of those things matter when you embrace that hug. Focus intently and mindfully on each connection. Enjoy the journey towards your goals.
Free Printable Perpetual Calendar For Month-To-Month Actions
A minimalistic, clean and decluttered printable perpetual calendar designed to complement your planner, work as a birthday calendar or useful work helper. Can be used as a wall calendar or desk calendar too. Use it to plan your month-by-month activities that align with your 10-year plan:
To grab this template, simply choose the fitting paper size here:
Free Perpetual Planner / Birthday Calendar Printable in Size LETTER
Free Perpetual Planner / Birthday Calendar Printable in Size A4
*Personal use only!
Conclusion
Having a 10 year plan or a vision that is right for you, and helps others, can create a much happier and peaceful way of life. By aligning with your values and your Ikigai, you can find far more happiness in goal achievement than chasing money or pursuing postcard dreams. Create a fun action plan with friends and loved ones and reward yourself for the small wins. Practice mindful thinking and empathy along the way. Enjoy the journey towards your vision and create an environment purpose-built for positive emotions. It is the mindful journey through the mountain that will bring you the most joy and you can be proud when you reach the top.
Like these ideas? Scroll down for more!
