The #1 rule for success : plan the s**t out of your life - The French Londoner Productivity Hacks #1

You got a dream. You gotta protect it. People can't do somethin' themselves, they wanna tell you you can't do it. If you want somethin', go get it. Period.
Chris Gardner, The Pursuit of Happyness

Have you ever wanted something so big that you felt discouraged to start doing something about it?

As a Steemian like yourself, I want more for my life than just what it is today, right?

Since I’ve been 15, I dream of moving to the other side of the big pond called the Altantic ocean. It’s been there for as long as I can remember wanting something. Most of the things I have done in my life have the picture of this ultimate goal on the background. One day, I’ll go live in America, and I’ve never been closer to this dream than today.

You got one life, use the time you have to make it extraordinary. And to do so, you’ve got to do things differently than the average. My above the average actions start with planning!

Pic by rawpixel

I plan things out, every day, every week, every month, always with myself in mind first. It’s not selfish, it’s productive! Why? Because I can only have an impact on my actions before even considering the actions of others. As much as I hate the “lead by example” nonsense my parents gave me throughout my childhood and teenage years, part of it is true. To change things and make them happen, it starts from you. You wanna make change happen, start with yourself.

To get closer to what I want out of my life, I’ve got to get clear on what I want and why. For that I do plan every weekend some self reflecting time. I use an amazing tool called Passion Planner. It’s a planner/diary/coach which has helped me tremendously to keep my focus where I need to have it, and has me moving forward ever since. It’s been 3 years since I started using it, and I cannot help but to recommend it to anyone who wants to gain clarity in his/her life.

Passion Planner - Out with 2017, bring on 2018 the Golden year- Pics by @frenchlondoner

I start by planting the scenery with some brainstorming about what I want and why I want it. To know your “why” makes you more emotionally linked to it. The more you add emotions to the mix, the more you can get closer to it. I usually do this vision exercise every 3 months in a neutral but beautiful place, so the emotions I get out of the experience are rich and positive. Last time, I did it in 86 Champs, a place where the vibes were so good I actually wrote an article about it!

Once I get emotionally pumped up, I choose 1 dream of mine to work on for the next month. I start then decomposing the vision I have into goals, and smaller goals, and even smaller goals until they become tasks. I just need to put them in my schedule, with the rule of not adding more than 3 tasks per day, so it stays achievable, but not overly stressful, and so, for the next month also.

Passion Planner - Arthur et Juliette - Pics by @frenchlondoner

At the end of the week, I take time to review my doings, achievements, and plateaux. I reschedule my week ahead with that in mind, and make changes when necessary.
After a month, I review the whole thing, check if I have reach my goal and tune into my feelings to see if I am getting closer to my dreams. I celebrate my achievements, usually with a nice piece of cake and a fabulous cup of tea. I pick another goal off of my list and schedule its affiliated tasks onto the next coming weeks.

After three months in the process I review it all and start again, adjusting the vision I have of my dreams to what I value the most in life for me. I repeat the brainstorming process, the goals breakdown and the scheduling.

Passion Planner - La Rotonde de la Muette - Pics by @frenchlondoner

Seems tidious? yes it is. Time consuming? Oh yes! But since I spend more time planning, I spend less time doing, and I am more productive than ever. Why? Because what does take time is the thinking process. Once you’ve done the thinking, doing things becomes easier, and you progress faster.

I’ve never been closer to my goals than today, and, above all things, I have never been so happier about myself and my life than now. And I am happy to pay the price of these choices today so I can enjoy the results in the months to come. I see things moving forward for me, with me, and thanks to me and my actions.

Pic by Julio Casado

To get to what you want is not easy thing. It requires sacrifices, like the ones I make every week so I get closer to where I wanna be, ultimately, as a person. I thrive to become the person I am today, every day, from the moment I wake up to the time when I turn off the light and go to sleep. It has become part of my DNA, my way of functioning.

Planning is the way I have to project my dream, my vision. And no matter what the others think or say, they’re not the one who’re gonna make my dreams come true for me. I’ve got to go get them myself, with the help of others, but out of my own initiative. If you wait for the good times to come and get things done, better die now. So get moving, start planning, and live the dream you always had in your mind for yourself.

And if you like this post, vote for it, resteem it, and comment on it. And remember, life’s too short not to share the good stuff that comes with it!!!

Until next time... (got to go back to my Sunday planning session ;)

The French Londoner