The Ghost of Christmas Future shows Scrooge the final consequences of his actions. That is one year into the future. He is mortified to see that his final legacy is a cheap tombstone in an unkempt graveyard. This is the final wake-up call that leads to him changing his ways. And it teaches the importance of forward planning.

Wake-up calls can stop us in our tracks; for a short while at least. And I have noticed that they rarely have a lasting impact. We tend to make reactive statements like ‘Life is short’ and ‘Life is for Living’. Usually in response to some unhappy event, that has affected us personally or to others that we care about. Then, within a short space of time we are back to our old ways. And we’re responding to the usual pressures.

There is a simple way to combat this tendency. And to ensure you keep moving forward. Take the learning from past experiences. Make a point to incorporate that into your goal setting process. And then take immediate action against those outcomes. As a consequence, you may find that, in effect, you’re already living them.

Engage in some forward planning 

You can do this by making some time to:

DECIDE WHAT TYPE OF YEAR IT WILL BE: Decide whether the coming year will be one for laying solid foundations. Or will it be for building upon foundations previously laid. Consider what you have learned from the previous year and make the necessary adjustments

IDENTIFY KEY MILESTONES TO SUCCESS: This will give you some clear benchmarks against which to measure your progress. Look out for any superfluous ones that aren’t connected to a solid foundation

FOLLOW THROUGH ON YOUR PLANS: Whilst that may sound obvious it will come more easily to some of you than others. Notice whether you are someone who tends to put things off until the time is right. And make an extra special effort to stop procrastinating and follow through

The purpose of forward planning

The key here is to learn how to bring the future closer to the present. And there is benefit to you in doing that.

You will be able to enjoy the deep-seated satisfaction, that comes with the realisation of your goals and aspirations.

Remember, without a plan you’ll find yourself living in reaction, rather than living to a life plan you’ve designed. Make sure to create yours with purpose and passion.