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How to plan a successful life: 100 Life Goals

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How often do you check up on the goals you reached in your life? How often do you think about what you always wanted to do, what you already did, and what you still have to do? And how often do you think about how to plan a successful life?

I never did it in the past. Once a goal is reached, there is a moment of ecstasy that will last for a limited amount of time, and then I go ahead. I don’t come back to think of the things I accomplished, never did. Still, my perspective changed when I discovered the 100 Life Goals practice. I learned to appreciate my past achievements and work better towards my still unreached goals.

Make your “100 Life Goals” list

The 100 Life Goal practice is simple to understand, and you can do it whenever you want. Write 100 things that are important for you to reach in your life.
You can consider things that already happened. Still, try to focus more on the future. You cannot influence what happened in your past, but you can influence the future.
As always: remember to be specific. Don’t write “Get the job of my dreams”, but write “Become a writer”. Also, “Become a successful writer” is not enough, you have to quantify success. “Become a writer that makes at least 3k per month” works better.
Furthermore, you won’t be able to find 100 things you want to reach in your life in one day. Keep the list there for some time and try to fill it up and decide what life you want to live. Consider your values, your dreams, and especially your limitations. Then merge them and build the life you wish to live.
Also, if you don’t find exactly 100 goals, it isn’t important (both 89 and 107 work). You aim to build long-term expectations and express them through checkpoints.
Let’s dive into why this practice makes you more determined to reach your goals.

Use your problem-solving brain

Our brain solves problems. We spend most of our time in problem-solving because questions are the essence of humankind, and we can’t live without answers.

We think. A lot. We overthink.

We try to solve our past and to find the right path that would have brought us to a better present situation. It’s a dangerous behavior, still, it is how we are made.

However, if you learn to use this brain-wired behavior to solve your future, you will receive incredible benefits. Problem-solving in the future will make you find a path to reach your goals, while the list has the purpose of clarifying those goals.

Sometimes we forget them and go with the flow of our emotions and feelings, but if we write them down, it will be easier to remember.

Also, how satisfying could it be to reach a goal you planned years ago?

This is the power of 100 Life Goals.

How to use the list

Writing the list is the most important part of the process since it makes you aware of your expectations. Then the list becomes a tool to understand if you are on the right path, or if you need to change your lifestyle.

You can use it as you wish. You can check it once a month, or once a year. Try to remember at least the things you want to accomplish in the short run. If you check it every month, for example, make sure you are aware of what you could do in that amount of time.

The 100 Life Goals list will also give you perspective on your progress.

In the beginning, you will probably have a long list of things to do and only some of them already achieved. This will give you perspective on how your life is running short on you. It will give the perception of time passing, which will make you move towards your goals faster.

Also, reaching a goal will be even more rewarding because you thought about it so many times it became part of you. You become what you wrote on the list since you will always strive to accomplish your goals. The list will motivate you, and it will make you work on your future.

How to plan your successful life

The 100 Life Goals practice is a technique to keep track of your success in life.
It gives you:

  • Perspective on the type of life you want to live
  • Perception of the limited amount of time you have to reach your goals

Also, since those goals are lifelong, the list gives you a resume of your essence, your dreams, and your values. If you write “Have a family with 2 kids” as a goal, then the family is one of your values. If you write “Sleeping with 100 women” then maybe your family is not your long-term plan.
Start thinking about your 100 Life Goals
Start writing what kind of life do you want from your future?
Then, plan your successful life.
I believe in you.


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Cover photo by Simon Migaj on Unsplash

This post was first published in Live Your Life on Purpose.