Year-end is a very powerful time for the hungry man, the inspired man, the manly man.
A time of reflection, self-examination and planning, year-end is ripe with potential for a man who wants to take stock and envision his life from multiple vantage points, levels and horizons.
For instance, one useful way I look at my life is as if from a cockpit of a large aircraft (as the image above).
I am surrounded by various instruments and gauges, each designed to keep me on track with where I am going in my life. What are those gauges telling me and how do I use them?
An even more powerful way of imaging my life is to see it as the progression of a Great War.
Each dimension of my life, which is a Great War, has a map. A War Map.
I’m going to (very) briefly tell you about my War Maps, what each one shows me and how I use it.
1. The first and most important War Map is my Ultimate Purpose War Map.
What is the reason for my existence? What is my life about? Why am I alive? What is my core motivation that all other motivations in my life answer to?
If a man cannot answer these questions he will easily get off course and lost. Distracted by the small details of life he will never get where he is going, because he doesn’t have a fucking clue, WHERE he is going.
Do you know where YOU are going?
Determine your Ultimate Purpose War Map now.
2. The second War Map is my Ultimate Principles War Map.
What are my guiding principles that inform my life decisions? What are my ultimate values? What are my rules and what will I not tolerate or accept in my life?
If a man cannot answer these questions he will not have a true north or a guiding star. Without Ultimate Principles, a man will be weak in his capacity to make decisions because his decisions are based on however he is feeling at the time. Just like a little girl.
Do you know WHY you are going where you are going?
Determine your Ultimate Principles War Map now.
3. Third is my Ultimate Vision War Map.
What will my life look like when I am living in alignment with my Ultimate Purpose and according to my Ultimate Principles? Using as much detail as possible, I describe my dream-life, as well as what I would like my day to day existence to look like.
If a man has no vision he will end up living a life according to someone else’s vision. Waking up at the end of his life he will wonder what the fuck happened and how did he get here?
Will you know what your dream-life will LOOK LIKE when you get there?
Determine your Ultimate Vision War Map now.
4. The next Map is a list of short term (3 month) and longer term goals (1 year), my Goals War Map.
Looking at my Ultimate Purpose and Principles and seeing my Ultimate Vision, what are the goals I need to set to make that vision a reality?
Those goals need to be attainable but also audacious. Those goals must make a demand upon me in a big way, so that I will strain and struggle to accomplish them.
If a man is not living a goal driven life he is sitting still and not going anywhere, wasting the brief time he has to create a life worth living.
Are you creating a life worth living?
According to your Ultimate Purpose, Principles and Vision, what are the goals you need to set to get you to where you have determined you are going?
Create your Goals War Map, now.
5. Next, using my list of goals, I create my Projects War Map.
A project is an endeavor that you agree to accomplish and that has multiple steps. A project is often confused with things on a To-Do list, because you cannot do a project, you can only work on the steps contained within the project. I have a list of between 20 and 30 projects going at any one time.
Without a written list of clearly defined projects a man will try to run his life by using his mind to manage his various obligations and commitments. The mind is no place to manage a life, like the bathroom is no place to fly a plane. Get in the cockpit and in front of your gauges.
Create your Projects War Map now.
6. Finally, using my Projects War Map I create my Next Actions War Map.
Next Actions are single steps that you can accomplish to move you closer to completing a project.
Every day you will look at your Next Actions War Map, which was determined by your Projects War Map, which was created by determining your Ultimate Vision Map, which was informed by your Ultimate Purpose and Principles War Maps.
Every day you will create a To-Do list, which will be made up from your Next Action War Map, according to your time, location and schedule.
Now that you have created your War Maps, get a journal (Battle Log) and a day planner (Battle Planner), put them all together to create a life that even the gods will nod to.
War Maps
1. Ultimate Purpose
2. Ultimate Principles
3. Ultimate Vision
4. Goals (short and long term)
5. Projects
6. Next actions
Battle Planner (Calendar)
Battle Log (Journal)
If you have any questions or want some examples, hit me with them. According to my War Maps, 2017 will be the best year of my life.
* These ideas were strongly influenced by David Allen‘s book, Making It All Work. I simply personalized and masculinized them.
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