Many people do not spend much time planning for the future. It seems like they are waiting for their dreams to happen. I believe that a little planning will take you far down the path of success. I am not saying that you need to plan every step of your life – that will drive you, and everyone around you crazy. Rather, it is worth investing some time in planning when it comes to fulfilling your dreams. The bigger your dreams the more planning it takes.
Planning makes a dream a reality
For example, many people dream of taking a European vacation, but few actually go. In fact, most Americans do not even have a current passport. I lived in Europe years ago and love traveling, so I set a personal goal of visiting there on a regular basis. That dream is now a reality. I have visited Europe at least one time each year since 2015…except for this year. A few special years, like 2019, I was able to visit Europe multiple times. Every trip has been awesome – a new adventure full of memories.
We created a plan for each of our trips together
You will remember that we spent some time brainstorming, discussing, and planning our trips to Germany, Austria, and France several years ago. We identified the places we wanted to see, the resources to pay for it, and made our reservations in advance. Every minute was not set in stone, but we had a general agenda for every day. All that planning paid off – we had great trips. The pictures prove it. The video below is about the plan we used for our Germany Summer vacation in 2015.
I do even more planning for my European adventures nowadays
Even though I have visited Europe multiple times I actually complete even more planning for my trips. You both know that I create a PowerPoint presentation for every European vacation. Nowadays I use a planning spreadsheet to schedule out the main activities for each day. It is a helpful way to think through how to spend each day and maximize your time. I found it particularly helpful for planning my solo trip to Catalonia last fall.
Even with COVID I continue to plan
What about the year 2020? All of my travel plans for this year have been crushed by COVID. I planned a special trip to Nothern Italy for Kim and me during Spring Break. We were going to get engaged in Venice. We ended up getting married this year and thought taking the kids to Germany would be a great way to celebrate. That did not happen either. But, I continue planning more trips. In fact, I created plans for at least 20 new European vacations so that we are ready for when we can travel again. I know – it sounds crazy. Yet, I still believe a little planning goes a long way, and I want to be ready for when this crisis ends.
What about you?
Are you planning to make your dreams come true? Or are you waiting around hoping that they just happen…one day. Don’t wait, get planning. I know the year 2020 is bad enough to make you wonder what is going to happen next. Take it as an opportunity to dream new dreams and make new plans. It is a worthwhile investment of your time. If for no other reason than to take your mind off the mess we are currently living in.
A goal without a plan is just a wish.
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
I am Doug Keating and this is my letter to sons.