What we have here is a failure...to PLAN

I have heard it said, usually by those who don't like to plan, "You can't plan your life away." While there is some truth to that, and there needs to be some spontaneity to life, there is room for planning as well.  I am a relatively good planner, but I plan to be even better.

Each year, I buy a good planner and work on scheduling my time so I can get all my things done. I make lists, keep track of my progress, and I LOVE to cross things off that list. However, am I putting the right things on my list? Am I planning the right things that will get me closer to my goals?

Today I was reminded failing to plan can be detrimental to your future. I work with college students. Not only am I an academic librarian, but I also advise and coach first year students and some students who are struggling academically. I had a light bulb moment this afternoon while meeting with one young man. He showed up on time, sat down respectfully and looked ready to talk and work through some stuff. When I asked him for the success plan worksheet he was to put lots of thought into and bring with him today, he looked at me blankly and said, "I totally forgot about that!"  (Signal the facepalm that was happening in my brain.)

I smiled, and sweetly said that was the reason for our meeting today, so we could work through his concerns and create a success plan for the semester. He apologized. Then we spent some time talking about how this was one of his problems last semester. He didn't do well, not because he couldn't do the work, but because he didn't turn things in. We talked about putting assignments in a planner. He said he did that. Hmmm. He has this problem in all his classes. He then seemed pretty frustrated at himself and huffed out, "These assignments aren't that hard. I just can't seem to remember what to do and I wait too long to get s*%# done!" Forgiving him for the language, that was when the light bulb went off above my head!

He was never taught how to manage projects or how to PLAN ahead! Many of my students struggle with the exact same thing. In the testing culture of today’s public schools, students aren’t prepared to PLAN.

I am meeting with this student later this week and I am going help him use an online calendar to input all his due dates and tests, and then PLAN how long it will take to write the papers, study for the tests, and do the reading assignments. I’ll show him how scheduling time for those things on his calendar and setting it up to send him reminders on his phone can help to keep him on track.

I tell you all this because it has been a good lesson for me as well. I have been struggling to keep motivation going on dream board and healthy-living goals. The reason I'm having trouble...I'm failing to PLAN.

Putting time in MY online calendar for yoga and walking is a good idea so I get those annoying reminders popping up on my phone. I want the reminders so stop, so I go DO the thing. Thinking ahead to possible reasons for not being able to do the thing is also important. What if I am too sore to do yoga one morning? I could ALREADY have another lighter, less strenuous workout planned for those times. Then, I am still doing SOMETHING in that time slot, but I'm not doing something that will cause me more pain. Forget "no pain, no gain!" Ain't nobody got time for that! That will make me quit on my goals faster than anything.

What about healthy eating? I need to think through those situations that cause me to eat badly and come up with alternatives and strategies for dealing with those temptations ahead of time. This will help me have the tools I need to avoid those circumstances or make better choices during them. Looking at restaurant menus ahead of time will help me PLAN what I will eat when going out with friends instead of leaving it to my willpower alone in the heat of the moment. 

Speaking of willpower...mine is very weak. I know that. That is why I am working on taking some of the curve off my curves. My willpower, or lack thereof, has allowed the curves to get a little wider than I would like.  Willpower alone is not going to get me to my goals. I need to plan and give it a little strategic help.

The Bible is full of verses about planning. In my life, experience has shown me that when I get the Lord involved in my plans and pray about them, I am more able to stick to them. Obviously, prayer doesn't always result in me reaching my goals, but it keeps me connected to God and I think that is THE goal, right? Including God in my daily life and plans helps me remember that He loves me. 

"Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." ~ Psalms 37:4

I don't believe this means that praying will give you exactly what you want. My experiences are evidence of that. However, delighting in prayer and a higher power blesses my heart every time, even in times of stress and pain. 

So, building prayer into my plans is important to me.

I am thankful for those times when coaching my students reminds me and teaches me as much as it does them. Perhaps someone is PLANNING situations on my behalf...