LIVING FORWARD
Today’s post is a summary of New York Times bestselling author Michael Hyatt and executive coach Daniel Harkavy book Living Forward. The book is a step-by-step guide where, Hyatt and Harkavy share simple but proven principles to help you stop drifting, design a Life Plan with the end in mind, and chart a path that will take you there. And you can work the process in just one day.
“Most people spend 5 hours researching buying a car, but never take a day to do a life plan.” Michael Hyatt
7 Steps to Creating Your Life Plan
“The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are.”
Step 1: Acknowledge The Drift
“We don’t realize we are in The Drift! We just wake up one day and find out we are there!”
A. How did we end up here?
- It happens when we are UNAWARE
- It happens when we are DISTRACTED
- It happens when we are OVERWHELMED
- It happens when we are DECEIVED
B. The Consequences of the drift
- Confusion
- Expense
- Lost Opportunity
- Pain
- Regrets
Step #2 Understand the Mission
“If you don’t like where you are at right now putting together a life plan will give you the clarity you need to move forward.”
A. Definition of a life plan
- A short written document
- Created by you for you
- It describes how you want to be remembered
- It articulates your personal priorities
- It provides the specific actions necessary
- It is a living document
B. Asking the right questions
- How do I want to be remembered?
- What matters most?
- How can I get from here to where I want to be?
Step #3 Appreciate The Benefits
- Clarifying Priorities
- Maintaining Balance
- Filtering Opportunities
“You will learn how to filter your opportunities so you can say no to the good so you can say yes to the great.”
- Facing Reality
- Envisioning the Future
- Avoiding Regrets
Step #4 Design Your Legacy
- Begin at the end
- Yes, you will leave a Legacy
“Leaving a legacy is inescapable, the impact of your life will ripple throughout eternity.”
- Writing your Eulogy
“Writing your on eulogy is a GIANT wake up call”
- Identify your key relationships
- Describe how you want to be remembered by each group
- Make your legacy statements as compelling as you can
Step #5 Determine Your Priorities
“If we’re not careful we will get so busy reacting to our days that we don’t stop to check our actions against our priorities”
Nine Basic Life Accounts
1. • The Circle of Being
- Spiritual
- Intellectual
- Physical
- The Circle of Relating
- Marital
- Parental
- Social
- The Circle of Doing
- Vocational
- Avocational
- Financial
2. Three Action Steps
- Identify your life accounts
- Determine the condition of each account
- Prioritize you life accounts
“If you aren’t clear on what your priority is than everything is.”
Step #6 Chart The Course
Five Part Action Plan
1. Purpose Statement
2. Envisioned Future
3. Inspiring Quote
4. Current Reality
5. Specific Commitments
Step #7 Dedicate One Day
“You get more of what you are focused on” Michael Hyatt
A. How to prepare
- Block time on your calendar
- Decide where to go
- Take the necessary supplies
- Determine to be offline
- Enroll your family & friends
B. Maximize your time
- Check your attitude
- Remind yourself of the goal
- Trust the process
- Listen to your heart
- Don’t worry about getting it perfect
- Stay focused
Favorite quotes from Michael and Daniel about their book
- How I take care of me impacts how well I take care of others.
- It’s important that as humans we intentionally create a future that is bigger than our present.
- False spirituality is putting yourself last! You can’t love or serve others when neglecting yourself.
- Self leadership always precedes team leadership.
- How I lead myself impacts how I lead, love and impact others.
- Our lives are shaped by the questions we ask.
- Law of diminishing intent: The further out you push something, the least likely it is to get done.
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