Think about the end of your life and decide on key elements for which you want to be remembered. Some people want to be remembered for the relationships they've built with others, while some want to be great achievers, known throughout the world for an invention or great accomplishment. Describe how you'd like to be remembered after you're gone.
Examine your past. Make a timeline of the significant events in your life through today.
Identify your priorities. Select key areas of your life, such as your self, your family, and your career. You can have only a few components or a dozen, it depends on your personal situation. Prioritize these life components into their order of importance.
Set short-term goals. These goals will serve as milestones along the way to the long-term goals you identified in Step 1. Tie your short-term goals into your priorities by creating at least one short-term goal that relates to each of your life components.
Create a plan of action for each component you identified in the previous step. Describe steps you'll take to reach your short-term and end goals in relation to each of your life components. Include a description of your ideal future and your current situation. Identify specific actions you can take to reach your goals, such as running a mile each day to become physically fit.
Revisit your life plan at least once each year and revise it according to your changed priorities. Your goals are likely to change over time, and your life plan is meant to be a work in progress. For example, external events might occur that cause you to change your focus, and you'll want to update your life plan to reflect those changes.