Unsure of Your Progress in Life? Try This.

Derek Lovett

March 13, 2023

Most individuals at some point in their life sit down and write out their 3 and 5-year goals. If you haven't, then chances are you have at least heard others talk about it. But this post is not about that. I want to challenge you to do something that I believe will be a lot more effective. Consider what you have accomplished over the last 15 years --professionally, financially, emotionally, etc. Make a list of those things. Did you accomplish what you had hoped and planned? Could you have done better in some areas?

Now that you have done that, consider how many "15 years" you may have left. If you are 40 now, then you have 40 - 55, 55 - 70, and 70 - 85 (being conservative). If you are so fortunate to reach 85 (healthy) years, then that would give you three sets of 15 years left. Not bad.

I chose 15 years because this gives enough time to really gauge an individual's progress. Our life's progress never resembles a sharply inclining line. Rather, it looks more like a mutual fund investment --it has dips in trajectory (some significant) but through constantly investing money you profit (or net) over time. In the same way, with constant effort and adaptation we produce net results that are seen and felt.

What do your observable "net" results over the last 15 years look like? How do those results make you feel? If you got similar results over the next set of 15 years would you be satisfied? As you prepare for the next 15 years of your life, consider your highs and lows. Consider changes you would make.

Now that you have reflected, it is time to start fresh by writing "the vision." Consider vision as "how you see yourself making an impact in the world." If you have found yourself over the years becoming stagnant, then there is a good chance that you could benefit from accountability in the areas that challenge you.

Get started on making your next 15 years as impactful as possible with the R3 Planning Framework!

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