A plan without a strategy is not effective. First clarify the future you want (dream). Put that future into your context – your unique circumstance and environment. Refine your dream.
Make clear choices on how you will attain your dream (strategy). Put in place a clear plan (work plan specifying activities you will do to achieve your dreams in line with your strategy).
Alex is a 23 years old, fresh graduate still looking for a job. Alex’s dream is to make money. Buy a car. Build a house. Marry and have children. He plans to have a first born in 10 years’ time when he is 33 years. Given the struggles he experienced in an extended family setting of eight siblings, Alex plans to have only three children.
You may not fit the profile of Alex, buy you probably know one. I receive many young people seeking for career advise like him. I usually ask them, what is your dream? What is your strategy to achieve it? What will you do in 2017 to get closer to your dream?
For Alex, his dream is to make money. Buy a car. Build a house. Marry and have children. His strategy is find a good job. He has not specified a clear plan he will use to find the job.
That is one of the biggest makes most people make. They lack clear focus. And their dreams are not ‘ideal’.
My dream is to be financially independent, with good health and social respect. I want to make money that is enough to enable meet my needs, help family and friends and remain operating. It is not about owning all the major buildings in the city. It is just about having enough not to worry about basic expenses. If I need a holiday, I should have enough to travel without first looking for a loan. You get the idea.
Good health is about avoiding lifestyle that expose me to avoidable health risks. If it can be avoidable, I shouldn’t catch it!
Back to Alex, there is need for clarity of the dream, a strategy and plan. Most importantly, having a first born at 33 years may be a very bad idea. You want to have children early on. At worst by the age of 33 years one should be done with the last born.
A first born at 33 years means you will be 43 years when your first born is going to Primary five! You will be 51 years when he or she is completing Senior six. That may not be ideal timeline. Your plan should specify activities on how to grow and win.
To be continued
