Here's a statement to ponder: The probability you will have the kind of life that you want increases with the amount of planning and preparation you do. A life that is healthy, relaxing, nourishing, and fulfilling is not a miracle, not a fluke, not good luck and not beyond your capabilities. You do it every day in small ways already. Catching a plane, train or bus for example. Getting to work or school on time for example.

For years, I've been helping people develop plans. Plans help solve problems. Plans help create opportunities. Plans help you move towards your dreams.

For this breakthrough strategy, identify the aspects of your personal life that are seriously important to you. For example: family, spiritual journey, health, social involvement, intellectual growth, financial health. In each area, develop a crystal clear vision of where you want to go. What does it mean to live up to your best expectations in each of these areas? What's possible? Describe exactly what it looks like and what it feels like when you have reached the point in each of your key result areas where you are happy with each. Write in the present tense, as if it is already in place. This represents a picture of your future as you prefer it to be.

Obviously I have no investment in you doing this. I'm just sitting here at my computer watching the January 13 snow fall. But I know this process works. Works for me, works for my clients who choose to use it. Will work for you! The question is: Are you steering the vehicle of your life, or are you a passenger in the back wondering where the heck you're headed.

3) Once you have your visions, or goals for each area the next step is to publish them. Not necessarily in the New York Times but in your home, in your wallet or purse, in your office. Make your goals public - a public declaration of intention. Quantum physicists are telling us now that we don’t really know how the universe and reality works. That in fact there is a lot of “magic” going on and that “intention” plays a significant role in shaping reality. Synchronicity happens. But it can only happen when we put our goals out there with statements.. Taking a stand like this is a daily reminder of your commitment. But most importantly it's a statement to all parts of yourself. Here's the gold: the responses you get from those internal parts (Parent and Child) will show you where the resistance is, where the fight will be, where the seeds of doubt arise, where the fears are. Because failure will sprout there, inside you. In my experience, when a client deals with those 'negative' parts/thoughts/doubts, the goal is attained but for time and right effort.

Here's how to deal with negative thoughts about your vision or goals.

(a) Look for factual material supporting your quest as if you were a scientist. Actually you are a scientist, investigating a process. Dig around and get statistics, numbers, percentages, or proof in some form or other that a person like you has done it before. Or better yet, get proof that a whole passle of people like you have done it before. Prove to yourself that the probability of success is realistic based on hard data. What did these people do to attain their and your goals? Are you willing to do what they did? Read biographies, interview people, use the internet and email. This research is vital! It's analogous to looking at a road map to your dream vacation. This work will take your dream and begin making it real. This work will clarify and crystallize it. From a TA point of view, you'll be strengthening your Adult ego state and decontaminating your Parent and Child ego states.

(b) Find a believer, coach, or mentor to support you. A friend should be your last choice because your stroke economy (see strokes) is bound to your friends. Hire a coach, or a TA therapist. Give yourself the gift. The next component is planning the trip to your goal. Having done the research you'll have a good idea what's needed. Write it out. Put dates and times, milestones and objectives into it. Like a road trip, you need to know where you'll be spending the night (unless you like sleeping by the side of the road in your car). If you plan your drive, you can drive your plan. It's that simple at this point.

4) Collect some Motivation. Write, gather, collect or find some affirmations, pictures, quotes or music about your goal, or that speaks to you about your goal. Add them to your Goal Notebook.
 

5) Define milestones or intermediate objectives on the road to you goal. To lose 20 pounds in 4 months, determine to lose 5 pounds a month. Hmm, the math makes it hard to measure each week’s progress, so change the plan. Aim for a pound a week for 20 weeks. Starting next Sunday, that means you’ll achieve your weight loss by what date? Now add the deadline (in pencil) in your Goal Notebook.
 

6) Play and experiment with the hows. Options. Different ways. How will you achieve the intermediary objectives? In other words, what’s the plan? A car trip to a distant vacation destination will not succeed unless you have a map. And not just one route plotted on it. Weather, construction, or any number of circumstances could block you unless you have some options and backup plans.
 

My wife and I plan all our holidays for the year in January. Just finished it last night actually. We divided up the research and detailed planning. As far as I'm concerned we're set to have a fantastic year. We have a retreat weekend each month, plus a ski trip, two birding trips, a trip to Vancouver, a canoe trip, and a hiking trip. Are we lucky? No! We plan. We plan the trips to fit our work schedules, to fit our family commitments, to fit our budget, to fit our physical capabilities. It took us about 6 hours spaced out over 4 nights to get everything sorted out, and it was not easy - but we're on our way.

How satisfying and enjoyable is it to just open the fridge and see what's there for dinner. To just throw something together. How much more satisfying is it to plan a meal and acquire the foods ahead of time so that consuming it is a delight?

OK, I've said enough. This isn't rocket science. Take that dream and plan it. It will be yours.