Creative Planning Activity #3

Last week I posted an exercise to do a quick temperature check on the level of Enjoyment in your Life.  This week is all about Diverging in order to get to the things you REALLY want to do in 2010.

Looking Back

For the past few weeks I have been making mindmaps as part of my year-end creative planning.  Check out this post if you haven’t used mindmaps before.

As I think about the past year I start with some categories to help me generate the items.  This year I am working with:

• Fun
• Health
• Home
• Work
• Friends and Family
• Personal Development
• Creative Projects

I simply draw the stems and note accomplishments or events that fit in the bucket.

Now, you may ask, “Why bother?  The year is over.  Why look back?”  And here is how I would answer:

1) Take Credit. Some years, I have come to the end of the year with the feeling that I haven’t done much.  When I begin listing I notice that, in fact, every year is full of something.  I like to give myself credit for what I did–even when the accomplishments weren’t foreseen.

2) Notice the Buckets. Some years my buckets are really uneven.  For a few years I neglected my Health.  Other years the Fun bucket has been really jammed while the Work bucket was a little light.  This activity helps me to recalibrate.

3) The Power of Reflection.  If you are a person with a ‘bias-for-action’ it is useful to spend a little time in reflection.  Does this map reflect how you want to spend your time?

4) Remember the Good Times. I just like the simple snapshot that this activity gives me.

Looking Forward

At the same time I am building my mindmap for the past year I am generating ideas for the coming year.  Notice I wrote, “Ideas”.  This is a Brainwriting activity…not The Plan.  These are things I might do.  So go for it!  List anything you might choose to do.  Use the same categories or build up some new ones.  Maybe you want to take some risks in 2010.  Create a stem for Daring Deeds.  Or maybe you want to Get Organized–add that to your map.  Remember it’s your map and it’s just another step along the way.

In my next post I’ll describe some ways to Converge on The Plan.  Until then, have fun imagining a great 2010!