A Strategic Plan for Your Life

"The road to happiness lies in two simple principles: find what it is that interests you and that you can do well, and when you find it put your whole soul into it - every bit of energy and ambition and natural ability you have." - John Rockefeller

In "How Will You Measure Your Life?", Clayton Christensen, shows his business school students how to apply a strategic thought process that extends beyond work scenarios to you and your life, namely establishing the right metrics, allocating your resources and avoiding the marginal cost mistake.

Christensen challenges his students "to turn the theoretical lenses on themselves," to find compelling answers to three questions, that are outlined below together with a few ideas to help you answer them for yourself.

Question 1. How can I be sure I will happy in my career?

We are motivated by unique criteria and values, which may change over time as our priorities change. At the outset of your career you may value advancement and progression over balance, as you progress you may place a higher premium on balance or developing others as much as yourself.

To find the sources of happiness in your career with an eye on the bigger picture of your life, study how you actually spend your time. Most of my clients realize there is a gap between what they say is important to them and their actual actions. Focusing on your values can provide you with concrete ways to close the gaps, by determining metrics that help you to align your time and resources.

Action Step: Figure out what motivates you to determine your metrics

(i) Create a list of what motivates you and what you value most in your personal and professional life. Tip: Instead of general terms, e.g. Being creative, express how you would like to practice creativity, i.e. Provide creative solutions to help companies define their digital media strategy, Cook a new recipe once a month that incorporates locally grown produce, etc. When you have your list, expand on why each value motivates you to clarify your motivators.

(ii) Calculate how much time you actually spend on each value on a weekly basis. You start each week with 168 hours. If you are lucky enough to get a solid 8 hours of sleep each night, how do you spend the remaining 112 hours in your week?

(iii) Rate the energy level you devote to each of your values. For instance, activities that excite and engage you will earn a high energy rating. Activities where you struggle to focus, are not engaged and find yourself going through the motions will earn a low energy rating.

(iv) Reflect on the following questions:

• How does the time and energy I spend reflect what motivates me most?

• How can I reallocate my time and energy so it is better aligned with what I value?

Question 2. How can I be sure that my relationships with my spouse and family become an enduring source of happiness?

Christensen states, "People who are driven to excel have this unconscious propensity to under-invest in their families and over-invest in their careers - even though intimate and loving relationships are the most powerful and enduring source of happiness". Christensen shares that he has personally seen more and more of his classmates at class reunions, unhappy, divorced and alienated from their children. While his classmates did not set out with the deliberate strategy of getting divorced and raising children who would become estranged from them; they did not keep the purpose of their lives front and center as they decided how to spend their time, talents and energy.

Many of us are overwhelmed with the demands of our personal and working lives, and loose sight of what we are working towards. Without purpose, one feels restless, disengaged or stuck; drifts from one thing to next with no direction or is distracted by meaningless activities. Purpose gives your life meaning, it orders your steps and dares you do remarkable things. Purpose motivates you to be the person you truly want to be.

Action Step: Define/Refine your purpose to better allocate your resources

(i) "How do I want to be remembered by..... my family, spouse, partner, children, co-workers, clients, community, etc?

(ii) What resources, processes and/or support do I need to ensure my actions are aligned with my values as I fulfill my purpose?

The key here is to write your answer(s) on paper, it does not have to be perfect, as you will most definitely refine your purpose as it becomes clearer.

3. How can I be sure I will stay out of jail?

I have a hard time with this question, not with how to stay out jail mind you; I have watched enough films to know that I would not survive a day doing time, but the relevance of this question. That said I have also read too many stories about the likes of Maddoff, Skilling and Leeson to realize that the notion of "how to live a life of integrity" escapes some.

Action Step: Make it a habit to think through the marginal cost economics of a "just this once" decision

When you are confronted with a situation where you want to make a one-time concession or do something that does not uphold your principles, act as if you are going to make the decision, 10, 20 or 100 times, then ask yourself: If I repeated this decision, 10, 20 or 100 times what would the full cost of my decision look like?

Christensen's final recommendation is to: Think about the metric by which your life will be judged, and make a resolution to live every day so that in the end your life will be judged a success.

How Will You Measure Your Life?, is truly an inspiring read. You can download the entire article for free during October.