23 Amazing Reasons Why Planning Is Important In Your Life
Nobody wants to fail but you know that anybody that fails to plan has planned to fail. This is obvious in many failed projects, failed governance, failed New Year resolutions, failed examinations and even failed lives.
These failures happen mostly because people have failed to plan. That is why all successful people will tell you to plan if you really want to be successful.
Success is not an accident! It’s a combination of planned actions carefully taken one step at a time.
Without mincing words, I’ll give you 23 important reasons you should start planning if you need to get anywhere in life.
1. Planning helps you to achieve your purpose
Purpose, goal, or project, whatever you want to call it, planning helps you achieve it. It doesn’t matter what your goal or task is, without planning, you cannot accomplish it.
The destination of a plan is the end goal. So, to set the goal and get to the goal, you need planning. According to Steve Maraboli, “If you don’t know exactly where you’re going, how will you know when you get there?”
And Lewis Carroll said, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will lead you there.” Planning itself gives you a sense of direction. It orients you in the proper direction you are to follow. It gives you a growth mindset. So if you just dive into an activity without a purpose in mind or a plan, you might not know when or where to stop.
2. Planning helps you to set your priorities right
It is good to get one’s priorities right and the best way to do that is by planning. Planning allows you to lay out all the cards you have, sort them and deal with them accordingly.
Planning will make you identify what is important and what exactly you don’t want. Your goals will be clearer and the process to achieve your goals will be without ambiguity.
Planning also teaches you to say “no”. It might not be easy for people without a plan to say “No”. With a solid plan in place, you know what is important to you and what is not. Planning makes less important things a lot easier to identify.
Read – 11 powerful ways to manage your time effectively
3. Planning reduces a hill to a molehill
No one wants to attempt a humongous task directly. However, you can plan the huge task in such a way that it will look like tiny bits of tasks. You will also agree with me that once that big task is broken down it looks more achievable.
Planning does that for you. It breaks down your giant goal into tiny objectives so that each small bit can be achieved one after the other until the goal is achieved.
4. It clarifies the process
Not only does planning make the destinations or goals clearer, but it also highlights the road to get there.
There is no sense in knowing you are going from A to B without having the knowledge or means to get there. Planning maps out the process needed to achieve your goals in life.
5. Planning makes you efficient
You must have noticed that the most efficient people are the people who take their time to plan.
Planning takes into account a lot of things and reduces wastage as much as possible. It reduces or eliminates excesses that would have occurred without planning.
6. It makes delegation effortless
It doesn’t matter how many goals you set, you cannot do it alone. Even if this is solely about your life, you cannot do everything by and for yourself. Trying to do it all by yourself will lead to incomplete tasks, unachieved goals, poor performance, and maybe depression.
This is where delegation comes in. Planning helps you not only break the goal into smaller bits but also helps you assign each task to delegates. Delegation and division of labour increase productivity and ensure a quick delivery.
When you plan before you start a project, you will be able to make your routines a bit more autonomous.
7. Planning fosters tracking
A proper plan is a good way to keep track of your progress. Planning helps you to identify what might cause problems while executing the project.
Planning serves as a yardstick to measure your success when you compare your expectations with the actual performance.
For example, you can plan for future expenses by automating savings from your current income. I use PiggyVest to achieve that. You can do that too.
In other words, planning gives you foresight and hindsight.
8. Planning gives you a timeline
What else can time your project like a good plan? As Alan Lakein quote says “Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now”.
You not only get the process to achieve your goal, but you also get the time associated with each task. With that, you will know if you are right on schedule or you are lagging behind.
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9. It gives you a sense of the future
If you want to have a feel for the future, plan. You wear your socks before putting on your shoes because to do it the other way would not make sense.
While you are planning to put on your footwear, you automatically plan to put on socks (present) before the shoe (future). Every plan you make is a glimpse into the future.
The way you shape the future, the more likely it is going to be.
10. You’ll understand & have control over things
If you want to have a sense of control while making decisions, you’ve got to plan. Planning gives you that feeling that you are in control.
The fact remains that a lot of things are beyond human control, but for those things that are controllable, planning ensures you have a grip on them.
Planning also gives you knowledge about the project, task, or even life itself. You will get a preview of what the unknown is and you have the chance to shape part, if not all of it, to get the desired outcome. You get to know what works and doesn’t work.
Read: 22 simple ways to increase your intelligence
11. Planning gives you alternatives
Have you ever been to a crossroads? Planning helps to prevent this kind of situation and if such arises, an alternative plan will help you get back on track faster and easier.
Planning is like a compass that not only directs you but also helps you get back on your feet when you’re lost. When you have made a couple of plans, it will be difficult to be swayed or tossed to and fro.
On the other hand, without a plan, you might find yourself completely off track. Well, the plan is the track, while other plans are other routes that lead to a similar destination!
12. It builds your confidence
Planning makes you focused by ordering your priorities as stated above. Apart from this fact, you grow confidence along with being focused.
Whenever I plan, I always feel my confidence is boosted and that I am in charge. With the plan, I always know I am well equipped to execute the plan successfully.
Read: The ultimate guide to being strong and fearless: 12 tips
13. It makes you a better person
Planning will make you a better person. When you plan, you take a lot into account and often exercise your ability to think deeply and broadly. This helps you to get several plans or a variation of plans to choose from.
This also allows you to choose the best available option. With consistent practice, planning helps you to get better at the daily tasks you perform since you’re always found stimulating your brain.
14. Planning ignites passion
When all unnecessariness is gone, you will not only notice efficiency in everything you do but you will notice an increased passion.
You will become more passionate about your goals and projects right from the planning stage. Without planning, you tend to slither back into your old routines and comfort zone.
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15. Motivation comes when you plan
Where passion is the feeling of enthusiasm, motivation is the force or influence that makes things done. Come to think of it, a lot of people feel like doing something but oftentimes lack the motivation.
Yes! There is the urge for success and greatness but without a proper plan to motivate one to reach it, it might not be possible. Planning has its way of motivating you to push through.
You wouldn’t take all the effort to plan and not execute it. That is enough force and a reason to ensure to follow the plan to the end.
16. Planning gives you a level of security
There is nothing scarier than the fear of uncertainty. If you plan properly, you can reduce the event of uncertainties. Risk comes with everything we do in life and the higher the risk, the higher the possible reward.
Even though insurance covers risk, planning eliminates or reduces it, you should also start thinking about your retirement plans. The fact is, even insurance is a result of planning. So, instead of leaving things to chances and allowing insurance to clean up the mess, you should just plan effectively to reduce the risk and uncertainties.
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17. It reveals a problem
We all run into problems once in a while and it will do you good to know that most of the problems you run into could have been avoided by proper planning.
During the planning stage of any project, potential problems should be uncovered and adequate preparation should be made to solve the problem.
Finding and implementing solutions to the problem before it shows up will ensure a smooth flow of processes.
18. It builds you to accept imperfections
There is enough room while planning. There is room for mistakes and trials which would have been too expensive if it was executed. This tells you mistakes are sometimes inevitable and you don’t have to beat yourself up.
You can try a lot of things in your plan, if it doesn’t work, you can always scrap that and make other plans. Plan anything and everything and imperfections will drastically reduce. However, if you still fail at it, it’s not the end. You can choose to see the imperfection as a process that leads you to the light at the end of the tunnel.
19. It eliminates regret
Planning helps you to eliminate regrets either because of a failed project or a not-so-successful project. The phrases “had I known?” and “what if?” would have been dealt with with proper planning.
When you get to the finish line and your goal is accomplished, there would be joy all over your face.
20. Planning gives you satisfaction
Planning gives you a sense of satisfaction. You and I both know that planning gives purpose, process, and direction to get the goal. So as you achieve each objective & complete each task in a project, you get a sense of satisfaction.
“Yes, my plans got me here!” kind of exclamation would be your mantra. Everybody gets satisfied when they get to a position by prior design or plan, and not by accident.
You also know from experience that the tougher the task, the more satisfaction you get. Without a plan, you will not only get bored, but you will also lose the fulfilment of reaching the goal.
21. Planning gives a touch of professionalism
Have you ever seen two people do the same thing with a similar result but you like one better? Yes, it happens.
Professionalism cannot be overlooked either in business or in life. When you finish a task or run a business with a professional outlook, people will tend to appreciate what you do.
Planning is a major factor in determining the professionalism of a job. The feeling and sense of control you have while carrying out your plans to achieve the goal is the same feeling that aids professionals to do better than average people.
Even when a problem arises, a good plan will let you handle the situation well so you will not look unprofessional.
22. Increased Productivity
I talked about efficiency, getting better and adding a touch of professionalism above. The result of all these become productivity.
Once you have cut out all excesses and you are motivated, nothing can stop you then from attaining your goals. You will not only get to the target but could also diversify and go beyond.
23. Planning leads to success
This might seem a bit obvious but I have decided to use it to crown it all. The main reason for planning is to succeed. Even though success is subjective because what Mr. A describes as success might not be the same as Mr. Ball, it’s a reason to have a plan.
The goal you define for yourself and plan towards will be the yardstick for measuring your own success.
This would be a good time to tell you that even if your plans don’t work out all the time, it is better to start a project than do nothing. Planning can be a lot of work but it always pays in the long run.
Once you take your time to get it right, and you follow through with the right plan, you will record success.
Plan constructively, execute meticulously, and get inevitable success.
In conclusion, planning is the map while the action is the process and the result is SUCCESS. There is always a big difference between the result of a planned project and an unplanned project – the difference is always clear!
I hope you’ll PLAN for what gives you positive results.
I really loved this article. Congrats!
Thanks for your amazing feedback, rebs.
Good afternoon. Have to admit that I really like the article 🙂 Planning is important, especially at the workplace where every single second depends on You. Personally I prefer to use digital tools designed for planning like kanban tool which helps me enough to understand the importance of time at work. I feel that life seems to be much easier since I plan my tasks with such tools. It simply divides your working day into small parts and you have better control 🙂
You’re welcome, Margo. Thanks for reading.
great article. simple to understand, heling me to be focussed
Thanks for reading, Peeyush. You’re welcome.
Thanks for the article it gives understanding and put one’s on track
You are welcome, Asante.
Awesome 👍
Thanks for reading, David.
I love this article. I’m in a rehab and we have to write a paper on our plans and now I understand why they have us do it. I appreciate it a little more now. Thanks so much.
You’re welcome, Mistie. I’m glad you found it insightful.
I have been researching planning for project management for many years. This article is great!
Glad you found it insightful, Thomas.