I made sure I was on the right track with this one a few weeks ago, tagging:
, , and . Hoping the long form article hits. Here we go!Note: If you want to subscribe to the audio/video version on another platform, you can find it on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple.
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If you want to live a life brimming with purpose, progress, and joy, there’s one habit that stands above the rest: planning. Planning your year, month, week, and day is the most effective way to take charge of your life and make things happen. If you’re okay with coasting into mediocrity, though, just skip the plan and toss out the task list. Without a plan, you’re letting life’s chaos call the shots, reacting to demands instead of shaping your own path.
Planning isn’t one-size-fits-all. There’s no “perfect” system, just the one that works for you. I’ve tried digital apps, fancy planners, you name it. Right now, I’m loving a mostly paper-based system by Intelligent Change.
There’s something so satisfying about the inefficiency of it, writing priorities and checking off tasks. Taking the time between tasks to take my eyes off the screen and look to my paper planner to strategize on my next move. But I’m not rigid about it. I sync up with a digital work and family calendar to keep my life in harmony. There’s no magic bullet, the act of planning itself is the key. Find your groove, and make it yours.
Sometimes it takes a while to find the right fit. You can’t find the right fit if you don’t start trying. Life seasons change and planning needs change, I’ve gone through this. Embrace it, and optimize for your life and needs as they evolve.
Why Planning Works: The Science Says So
I’ve felt the reality of the strong impact planning has in my life and it’s reassuring to know that science backed up my lived experience. Here are three reasons why planning beats winging it:
Planning Supercharges Productivity and Goal Success
A 2018 study in Psychological Bulletin found that people who make specific plans for their goals are far more likely to achieve them than those who just hope for the best. Planning turns big dreams into bite-sized, actionable steps.
Planning Calms Your Mind and Reduces Stress
According to a 2017 study in the Journal of Applied Psychology, planning your daily tasks cuts down on mental overload and anxiety. Knowing what’s on your plate gives you clarity and peace of mind.
Planning Builds Discipline and Focus
A 2019 study in Frontiers in Psychology showed that planning strengthens your ability to stay focused on long-term goals, keeping distractions at bay. A task list or schedule is like a friendly nudge to keep you on track.
Timeless Wisdom on Planning
Some of history’s greatest minds knew the magic of planning:
Benjamin Franklin: “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
Franklin’s words are a wake-up call. Success doesn’t just happen; it must be intentional.
Dwight D. Eisenhower: “Plans are nothing; planning is everything.”
Eisenhower recognizes that plans might shift, but the process of planning keeps you sharp and adaptive while continually making progress.
I include 10 additional quotes at the end of the article in case you need additional inspiration to get started.
Planned Days Are My Best Days
This is a very personal topic for me. The Zig Ziglar Performance Planner changed my life from mediocrity and getting beaten down every day to giving me hope in the midst of a desert. It took over a year of planning to get out of that desert, and many years to start achieving major wins, but without that planner, I don’t know where I’d be today.
My best days—the ones where I feel on top of the world—are the days I start with a clear plan. I know my priorities, I’ve budgeted time for what matters, and I end the day with peace. But my worst days? I bet you’ve been here too; those are the ones where I stumble through work constantly reacting, getting to the end, and wonder, What did I even accomplish today? Nine times out of ten, those are the days I didn’t plan. Without a roadmap, I’m just reacting—swamped by emails, distractions, and someone else’s agenda.
A major focus recently on many of my long form podcasts has been consistency, and planning falls in line with what we’ve been talking about. You don’t have to be perfect. Miss a day? A week? That’s okay—just get back on the horse. Start today, or better yet, plan today for tomorrow. There’s a calm clarity in the evening that makes it easier to map out tomorrow’s priorities. When the chaos of a new day hits, it’s tough to find your footing without a plan.
Weaving Work and Life: The Integrated Plan
Planning is for your whole life. Work and personal life are deeply intertwined, like the threads of a beautiful tapestry. The gains you make in one can lift the other. A breakthrough in your personal goals, like running a 5K, losing weight, or building something beautiful with wood, can boost your confidence at work. Likewise, executing a big project at work can give you the energy to start a hobby you’ve neglected.
If you’re like many people, you might not have thought about personal goals or hobbies in a while. It’s normal to get caught up in the grind. But here’s a gentle nudge from your friend Andy: take time for quiet reflection. Ask yourself three penetrating questions: What do I want to do? Who do I want to be? What do I want to have? These questions can form the foundation for rediscovering your personal aspirations outside of work.
My wife and I do this exercise every year, and it’s been a game-changer. She came up with it a few years ago during a retreat we took, staying in a beautiful treehouse. We were lying in a net strung across the ceiling, with 15 feet of space below us, when she asked me those three questions.
What do you want do to?
Who do you want to be?
What do you want to have?
We jotted our answers in an iPhone note. Revisiting them throughout the year was so powerful that we’ve made it an annual tradition. It’s brought incredible clarity and fruit to our family and personal lives, helping us align our plans with our deepest desires.
The “No Time” Excuse and the Life-Changing Exceptions
I hear it constantly: “I don’t have time for my hobbies,” or “I wish I could do this or that.” When I ask how they plan their months, weeks, or days, the answer is often silence—they don’t.
The only reasonable exception? If you’ve just welcomed a newborn or faced a tragic loss, you get all the grace in the world. Those early days are a whirlwind, and I give a lot of grace to folks who go dark until they resurface.
But for everyone else, the “no time” excuse doesn’t cut it, and I bet it comes down to simply not taking the time to plan.
You Don’t Have Enough Time To Not Plan
I heard this story: In the bustling chaos of Calcutta, India, an excited priest ready to serve the poorest of the poor told Mother Teresa that they had so much work to do—tending to the sick, feeding the hungry—that they had no time to pray a holy hour. Mother Teresa, with her quiet wisdom, replied, “Because you have so much to do, you must take time to pray.” And instead of one hour, she made the whole group pray for two hours. She knew that prayer was the anchor that gave clarity and strength to their mission.
Similarly, when your life feels like a whirlwind of tasks and responsibilities, that’s exactly when you need to pause and plan. The busier you are, the more urgently you need a roadmap to prioritize, focus, and align your efforts with what truly matters. Just as prayer centered Mother Teresa’s work, planning transforms overwhelming demands into purposeful progress.
Reflection + Planning = Your Superpower
On my longform podcast, (available on Substack, Youtube, Spotify, and Apple) I talk a lot about reflection. The most successful people I know take time to think deeply about their lives. But reflection without action is just daydreaming. The magic happens when you turn those thoughts into something tangible. Want to lose weight? Don’t just muse about it. Write it down: How much weight? By when? What’s the plan? Put it on your calendar and make it happen.
Planning is about progress, not perfection. You’ll either move closer to your goal, which fuels your fire, or hit obstacles that teach you to pivot. Maybe you need to double down on effort or tweak the goal or timeline. Both outcomes are victories. Big, bold goals are exciting, but if they’re too rigid, they can sap your spirit. Stay flexible—adjust the goal or the timeline as needed, but keep moving forward.
Busting the Million-Dollar Idea Myth
We’ve all met someone with a “million-dollar idea.” But here’s the truth: ideas are a dime a dozen. The difference between dreamers and doers? The doers plan and act. A plan turns a spark of inspiration into reality, one deliberate step at a time.
Your Next Step: Start Today, Plan for Tomorrow
Consistency in planning is our ticket to an extraordinary life. Whether you love a sleek digital app, a trusty notebook, or a mix like me, find a system that clicks for you. Plan your year, your month, your week, your day. Write it down to make it real. Don’t let yourself drift into mediocrity—take the reins.
Start today: plan for tomorrow, and step into the life you want to live.
Ten Addition Quotes on Planning
Winston Churchill: “He who fails to plan is planning to fail.”
Churchill’s straightforward wisdom highlights that without a plan, success is left to chance, undermining any hope for meaningful achievement.
Sun Tzu: “Every battle is won before it is fought.”
In The Art of War, Sun Tzu stresses that careful planning and strategy are the foundation of victory, applicable to life’s challenges as much as warfare.
John Wooden: “When opportunity comes, it’s too late to prepare.”
The legendary basketball coach underscores that planning prepares you to seize moments of opportunity, ensuring you’re ready for life’s big breaks.
Abraham Lincoln: “Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”
Lincoln’s metaphor illustrates that thoughtful preparation is critical to efficiency and success in any endeavor.
Peter Drucker: “Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans.”
The management guru emphasizes that true planning requires dedication, turning vague aspirations into actionable steps.
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: “A goal without a plan is just a wish.”
The author of The Little Prince reminds us that dreams remain intangible without a structured plan to bring them to life.
Napoleon Bonaparte: “Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in.”
Napoleon advocates for thorough planning but also highlights the need to act decisively once the plan is set.
Margaret Thatcher: “Plan your work for today and every day, then work your plan.”
The Iron Lady’s practical advice emphasizes daily planning as a disciplined path to consistent progress and success.
Leonardo da Vinci: “It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.”
Da Vinci’s insight suggests that proactive planning is what enables individuals to shape their own destinies.
Confucius: “A man who does not plan long ahead will find trouble at his door.”
The ancient philosopher warns that foresight and planning are essential to avoid pitfalls and live a stable, fulfilling life.
Want More? Check out these books:
"Goals: How to Get Everything You Want—Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible" by Zig Ziglar - this is the book I read that transformed my life by helping me learn to set goals and plan.
Ziglar’s classic provides a step-by-step system for setting and achieving goals, emphasizing clarity, motivation, and actionable plans. His engaging style combines personal anecdotes with strategies like writing goals down and breaking them into manageable tasks.
"Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones" by James Clear
Clear’s book focuses on how small, consistent actions lead to big results. It offers a framework for planning habits that align with your goals, using systems like habit stacking and tracking to ensure steady progress.
"The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen R. Covey
Covey’s timeless guide emphasizes proactive planning and prioritization. The habits, like “Begin with the End in Mind” and “Put First Things First,” teach readers how to set clear objectives and organize their time effectively.
"Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity" by David Allen
Allen’s GTD method is a game-changer for planning and managing tasks. It provides a system for capturing, organizing, and executing tasks, helping readers stay focused and achieve their goals without stress.
"The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months" by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington
This book redefines goal-setting by compressing a year’s worth of planning into 12-week cycles. It teaches readers to set specific, measurable goals and create disciplined plans to achieve them faster.
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