By: John Glover (MBA)

Building a well-thought-out life plan provides structure, motivation, and purpose, especially when making key decisions about education, finances, and career. Michael A. Deffina’s book, So What Comes Next?, offers a robust guide tailored for young people, equipping them with practical tools to create and refine their life plans.Life planning is not just for adults or those nearing career transitions—starting early offers a clear advantage, enabling you to make intentional choices that align with your goals. This article expands on five essential steps to developing a life plan, integrating strategies from Deffina’s work while emphasizing the importance of adaptability, goal-setting, and strategic thinking.

Step 1: Define Your Vision and Values

A meaningful life begins with clarity about your personal vision and values. Knowing what matters to you helps you stay focused and motivated, especially during challenging times. According to So What Comes Next?, identifying these core elements early in life lays the foundation for future decisions.

Clarify Your Vision

Your vision is the big picture of the life you want to live. It should reflect both your aspirations and the lifestyle you aim to create. Some questions to guide this process include:

Where Do I See Myself in 5, 10, or 20 Years?

What career or personal achievements would make me feel fulfilled?

What kind of relationships do I want to nurture—both personally and professionally?

Deffina encourages readers to dream big but remain realistic. Your vision doesn’t have to be perfect, but it should be broad enough to provide direction while allowing room for growth.

Align with Your Values

Once you’ve articulated your vision, consider the core values that will guide your decisions. These values—whether they are creativity, responsibility, compassion, or financial independence—shape how you define success.

A clear vision, when rooted in personal values, ensures that your goals remain meaningful. This alignment prevents burnout by focusing on what truly resonates with you, allowing you to pursue achievements that feel fulfilling.

Step 2: Set Measurable Goals

Vision alone isn’t enough—you need actionable goals to turn that vision into reality. Deffina’s So What Comes Next? emphasizes the importance of breaking long-term aspirations into smaller, achievable goals using the SMART framework:

• Specific: Focus on what you want to accomplish.
• Measurable: Define how you will track progress.
• Achievable: Set goals that are within your capabilities.
• Relevant: Align goals with your vision and values.
• Time-bound: Establish deadlines to stay on track.

For example, if your vision is to become an entrepreneur, a SMART goal might be:

“Launch a small online business that generates $3,000 monthly.”

In the book, Deffina provides downloadable tools designed to break down long-term plans into manageable short-term steps. These templates encourage users to set daily and weekly milestones, helping to track progress and maintain focus.

Establish Milestones Along the Way

Milestones serve as checkpoints that indicate progress toward your larger goals. Celebrating small wins—such as completing a course, securing an internship, or building your first prototype—boosts your confidence and keeps you moving forward.

Step 3: Develop a Career and Skills Plan

An essential part of any life plan involves identifying career options and the skills required to succeed in your chosen field. One of the core themes in So What Comes Next? is the importance of exploring career paths beyond the traditional four-year college route. Vocational training, apprenticeships, and entrepreneurial ventures offer viable alternatives that align with many teens’ interests and strengths.

Explore Career Options Early

Deffina encourages young people to research career paths that align with their passions and values. For example:

Are you passionate about art and design? Consider pursuing graphic design or digital media.

Interested in solving problems? Fields like engineering or data analysis might be a good fit.

Understanding the educational requirements and market demand for various industries helps you make informed career choices. The book’s career-planning tools offer practical steps to explore opportunities, such as internships, job shadowing, and informational interviews.

Build Skills Incrementally

Developing relevant skills over time ensures you remain competitive in the workforce. Whether you aspire to be a business owner, artist, or tradesperson, building technical and soft skills—such as communication, critical thinking, and time management—is essential. So What Comes Next? provides strategies for setting up a personalized skills-development plan, ensuring that your growth aligns with your career goals.

For example, an aspiring coder could start with online coding classes, then move to advanced boot camps or internships to build real-world experience.

Step 4: Create a Financial Plan

Financial literacy is a cornerstone of any life plan. A solid financial plan helps you manage your resources effectively, avoid debt traps, and save for future goals. Deffina’s book offers practical budgeting tools, including downloadable templates, that guide teens through the basics of personal finance.

Start with a Budget

A budget helps you track income and expenses while setting aside money for savings and investments. The tools in So What Comes Next? emphasize sound financial habits by allocating income into categories such as essentials, savings, discretionary spending, and investments. Here’s an example of a basic budget breakdown:

• 50%: Essentials (housing, transportation, groceries)
• 20%: Savings (emergency fund, future investments)
• 10%: Investments (stock market or entrepreneurial ventures)
• 20%: Discretionary (entertainment, hobbies, dining out)

Plan for Major Life Expenses

If your goals include buying a car, starting a business, or traveling, it’s essential to incorporate these expenses into your financial plan. Having clear savings targets ensures you’re prepared for these milestones without incurring unnecessary debt. Deffina encourages readers to prioritize long-term savings, especially for large goals, to build financial stability early.

Step 5: Track Progress and Stay Adaptable

A life plan serves as a flexible guide that can evolve as you progress. Regularly reviewing and updating your plan helps you stay aligned with your goals while adjusting to new opportunities or challenges. So What Comes Next?, Deffina emphasizes the importance of flexibility, encouraging readers to reassess their goals periodically.

Review and Adjust Quarterly or Annually

Set aside time every few months to review your progress and adjust your plan as needed. Key questions to consider during these reviews include:

Have my priorities or interests changed?

Are there new skills I need to acquire?

What challenges have I faced, and how can I overcome them moving forward?

Embrace Change and New Opportunities

Life rarely follows a straight path, and unexpected events—such as new interests, career changes, or relocations—may require adjustments. Embracing change as part of the process ensures you remain resilient and open to new possibilities.

The Benefits of Early Life Planning and Intentional Decision-Making

Building a life plan as a teen offers numerous benefits, including better time management, improved decision-making, and a greater sense of purpose. When young people have clear goals, they are more likely to stay motivated and less likely to feel overwhelmed by the uncertainties of adulthood.

Using Tools from So What Comes Next?

Deffina’s book provides valuable resources that simplify the planning process. With career-planning templates, budgeting tools, and practical exercises, teens can build personalized plans that align with their unique goals. These tools empower young people to explore career options, develop critical skills, and prepare financially for the future.

Planning early ensures that every decision—from selecting electives in high school to choosing between college or vocational training—supports your long-term vision. With a clear life plan, you are better equipped to make intentional choices that lead to personal and professional success.

Summary: Start Your Life Plan 

Creating a life plan may feel overwhelming, but it’s a process that brings long-term clarity and purpose. By defining your vision, setting measurable goals, developing skills, managing finances, and staying adaptable, you can build a plan that evolves with you. So What Comes Next? serves as a practical resource to help guide you every step of the way, ensuring you remain focused, organized, and motivated throughout your journey.

A life plan acts as a flexible guide that evolves as you grow. Regular reviews and adjustments help maintain alignment with your goals while accommodating changes and new circumstances.

 

Published by: Khy Talara