I learned this while climbing the ladder of my old day job. It just makes sense and applied it to my own business and personal life. I found that the martial arts world had been saying the same thing by directly delivering life philosophies during training. There are three different kinds of plans to use. These are strategic, tactical and operational. Let's take a look at them and overlay our martial arts training on top of it with questions attached to it. Check it out:
Oh, and before we get to it, let's get one phrase defined. It's called Chaos Temperature. I'll mention it in each section and it will serve as a placeholder for the chaos levels we feel when trying to progress towards our achievements. Alright, let's get started.
Reveal: When you honestly answer these questions, a goal will be not only be revealed, but will have clarity attached to it.
Chaos Temperature: Low. This kind of planning is the planning we all want to be in. We don't feel the chaos here. In my opinion, it is the most refined way of planning. That's what makes it simple. What makes it difficult is not having a personal mission or desire that you're willing to do anything for.
Reveal: Discipline would be strengthening at this point. You'll also feel your desires/goals are making you more unwaivering. Tactical planning is more than likely the place you'll want to stay in majority of the time while peeking at the strategic plan every once in a while to refresh your energy and using the operational plans to know what's happening next.
Chaos Temperature: Low to Medium Low. This kind of planning is usually the first step out of the day to day chaos. This is a standard level of life planning. Another opinion of mine is that if you fall below this level of planning, something is blocking this elevated state and must be dealt with immediately before risk gets out of hand.
Reveal: Time would feel structured. Certainty will become a reward.
Chaos Temperature: Medium to High. This kind of planning must be a servant to the tactical plan. The risk is only acceptable when a tactical plan exists. Its acceptable because we planned. We are moving towards higher levels of readiness. It will still feel like a lot is going on, but we are going about it with a better screwed on head and the mission will always be on. Hard work will become satisfying.
Once you own these questions, planning gets easier and easier. When doing the planning, set yourself up with an agreement to execute the plan. It could be with yourself, your spouse, your family, your friend or who ever you need to agree with so that when something pops up, you can always defer to the plan. Maybe you need to adjust it. Maybe you just need to get back on track. Whatever the case maybe, the plan will save you the thinking of doing it all over again. Write it down.
Your training dictates the quality of which you handle your life. Martial arts is the only lifestyle that I can think of that constantly advocates staying sharp even through old age. I like to tell my students that the sword in your hand is merely a tool. You are the weapon and must stay sharp. The daily grind will dull us and we accept that. But at the end of the day, the end of the week, the time we use to recover ourselves, it is important to visit the grind stone and get sharp again.Its required and everyone benefits from your sharpness.
You need it.
Even as we get older and older.
Become effecient at the grindstone.
Become an efficient achiever.
Only the most experienced swords have tasted worthy adversities.
Keep training.
Stay sharp.
Stay disciplined.
Find yourself looking forward to Monday. Its the only day of the week that the disciplined go to work. We don't have to go to work. We GET to go to work.