A Development Plan – 29 Hard Questions in 5 “Easy” Steps

1. What has changed in my life and work this year?

2. How are these changes a transition from one stage of my life to the next?

3. What difference have my Ideas made over the past year?

4. What difference have I made in my Relationships over the past year?

5. What difference have I made in the Social and Organizational Settings where I am involved?

6. Whose life or work have I made a difference in over the past year?

7. What opportunities have I had this year that made a difference in my life and work?

8. What problems did I create that I resolved during the past year?

9. What disappointed me?

10. What surprised me?

11. Where did I excel (i.e., “What’s working well, right now, and how can I do more of it?”)?

12. Where did I fail?

Step 2: Outline Goals and Overall Focus for This Year

13. Goals (i.e., What matters to me?)

• • Family and personal life
  • Health and Fitness
  • Business and career
  • Money and investments
  • Personal growth and development
  • Social and community activities

14. Desired Outcomes (how do you evaluate yourself?)

Step 3: Make Decisions in Support of the Goals and Focus

15. How?

• • Values
  • Vision
  • Goals
  • Knowledge and skills
  • Habits (and what you sacrifice…)
  • Daily activities
  • Actions (when)

16. What does it look like?  Dare to dream

17. Are you depending on anything or anyone else for one of your goals?  If financially independent…

18. Does it feel right? When you look at what you’ve written, do you think, “Yes! This is me – this is where I excel!”?

19. What does it mean for my life and work to be personally meaningful?  Perfect lifestyle/calendar (day, week, month, year)

20. What values and/or activities give meaning to my life and work? Best part of work

21. What does it mean for my life and work to have socially fulfilling relationships? If I had one Wish

22. What does it mean for me to make a difference in the world that matters? Six months to live

Step 4: Planning for the Year

23. What changes are taking place in my life and work during the next year?

24. What is the difference I want to make this year? What are my Impact Goals?

25. Who do I want to impact this year?

26. What opportunities do I have now that I’d like to fulfill this year?

27. What problems have I created that remain to be resolved this year?

Step 5…

28. What is your life story and purpose?

29. What will be your legacy?

Additional Resources regarding questions to ask yourself:

• http://janrutherford.com/a-gift-of-7-questions/
• http://janrutherford.com/three-questions-about-your-life/
• http://janrutherford.com/a-dozen-questions-to-understand-what-motivates-a-team/
• http://janrutherford.com/three-questions-for-leaders/
• http://janrutherford.com/50-questions-for-leaders/
• http://janrutherford.com/purpose-intention-meaning-significance/
• http://edbrenegar.typepad.com/leading_questions/