Planning Life or Just Living Life: Which Works Best?

My husband John and I are making some important decisions — well, important to us anyway. I keep trying to think through the long-term impact, projecting events forward several years. 

Even as I do it, though, I know this is unrealistic with so many unpredictable variables ahead of us. As John Lennon famously wrote in his song Beautiful Boy: “Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans.” 

Yes, there will be surprises. Some will bring better results than ever dreamed, and some will bring setbacks and delays. Possibly the plan itself will be discarded. Confucius is said to have offered this perspective: “Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure.” 

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If this sort of advice seems to apply chiefly at the personal level, we might consider these words from Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was speaking from the perspective of war and national governance: “Plans are nothing; planning is everything.” 

So the point seems to be that without planning there cannot be a plan, and even a plan with limitations is better than no plan at all. The process of planning itself challenges us to remain flexible, adapting to inevitable changes. 

Regardless of the seriousness of the project being planned, the process happens in phases. It begins with having a realistic assessment of the situation. There’s no point in having a plan that looks good on paper but has no chance of succeeding because it isn’t grounded in reality. Similarly, we need to know available resources. The best plan imaginable won’t work without enough money to pay for it. If, at this phase, we discover we don’t have enough funds, this may be a signal to revamp the plan or to find ways to get more money. In either case, the earlier this is known the better. 

Frequently other people are involved in what we are planning. Whether they be experts with information or family members who will share in the work, having discussions with others is essential. Otherwise, just one person is making assumptions, weighing options, creating lists, and possibly overlooking or misinterpreting information. 

Even with these strategic steps in place, commitment and patience are essential for success. This is especially true for long-term projects since short-term enthusiasm will not provide enough fuel to bring about results. 

In our own everyday lives, we can’t always do what carpenters and tailors do when they advise to “measure twice, cut once.” Sometimes, we just must act spontaneously and in the moment. But if we have been planning, then at least we know where we stand, even if the final plan had another timeframe or vision or outcome.

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The Guardian of the Baha’i Faith, Shoghi Effendi, who was keenly skilled as a planner, often advised and encouraged the Baha’is of his time in their efforts to develop as a worldwide community. His many letters and books use words and phrases such as “careful planning,” “energetic action,” “great deal of patience, planning and perseverance,” “resolute effort,” and “meticulously carried out.” Above all, and not surprisingly, he emphasized the requirements of a successful plan in The Dawn of a New Day as being: “Nothing short of unity, self-sacrifice and intelligent and systematized planning …”

As John and I continue our conversation about our own long-term plan, we will undoubtedly find that the process has its own outcome, separate from the plan itself. Through planning we grow stronger and develop character traits such as patience, perseverance, detachment, and curiosity. These will see us through difficult times as well — even if that wasn’t part of the original plan.