January 16, 2025, Cole A. Randall, Day 81/365

Using a planner is simply not necessary for accomplishing goals, developing better habits, or staying on task.

You have people on both sides, and one group claims they are essential, while the other would never use one.

But what about those in the middle who like using planners but often find themselves not sticking with them for very long?

Maybe they get excited about planning and becoming more organized, buy themselves a planner that fits their style, and after a couple of days or weeks, they stop using it.

They like planners but struggle to use them long-term.

Oftentimes we become confused about what a planner is really for to begin with.

I've heard many people say things like, "I don't like using planners because they don't work for me"

My question is, "When you say planners don't work for you, what exactly do you mean by that?"

The most common response is, "Well, I've tried them in the past and they just didn't work"

I understand where they are coming from, but when we aren't able to identify what it is about a planner that didn't work, it begs the question,

"Is it really the planner that fails us, or us that fails to use the planner?"

I've heard others say using planners is pointless and you don't need a planner to be successful.

Although I do agree that you don't need a planner to be successful, I don't agree that planners are pointless.

I believe that this type of thinking comes from a lack of understanding of what a planner is designed for.

Anytime we attempt to use a tool in a way it's not designed for, things usually don't work out as planned.

Have you ever seen the tip of a pocket knife broken before?

That's because someone was attempting to use the knife in a way it was not designed for. Like prying open things as if it were a crowbar or twisting screws as if it were a flathead screwdriver.

Once you understand The Purpose Of A Planner, you can maximize your growth without needing to use one long-term.

There are four main purposes for having a planner: once you adapt them into your mindset, then many areas of your life will be enhanced even after you stop using your planner.

#1. Planners Are Preparation Tools

When someone prepares for something they do so with consideration of actions and resources required.

Imagine preparing for your vacation.

We consider what actions and resources we will need to take for our trip.

One day I was talking with a coworker who swore up and down that no matter what he couldn't plan for anything.

But then one day he and his wife were about to go on a vacation.

This guy who "cannot plan for anything" all of a sudden pulls out his phone and shows me the most in-depth checklist I've ever seen in my life.

He had a list of every item required for the trip, what exactly they would be doing each day, with addresses, restaurants, stores, times, and best routes for sightseeing.

He had no problem explaining to me every step of his 5-day vacation, time stamps, and all.

And me being someone who created and uses a planner daily, and has for years, my mind was overwhelmed with how in-depth his planning was.

At that moment this quote came to mind,

"Most People Spend More Time Planning A Party Or A Vacation Than Planning Their Own Lives" — Unknown

I have to say I think that guy is so wrong about his inability to plan because he is probably one of the best planners I know. It's not that he cannot plan anything, it's that he only plans for the things that matter most to him (i.e. vacation).

I'm willing to bet that all of us have a planning bone in our bodies if we are planning something we are most passionate about.

Because one purpose of a planner is for preparation, It helps make you ready for your path forward.

Not only physically prepared but also mentally prepared.

I like what Jim Rohn once declared,

"If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much."

#2. Planners Are Measuring Tools

Kinda like having a measuring tape.

Have you ever heard the term, "Measure twice, cut once?"

With a measuring tape, we typically measure out what length we are cutting things too. We check the measurement twice and once we cut it, we then measure it again to be sure it is cut to the right length.

The planner provides the same types of measurements by measuring what we will need to do to achieve the goals we've set.

Then once we've made the cuts — taken action toward our goal — we measure our goal again to see if we are cutting to the right length.

If we are, that's great news, we can keep making progress.

If we are not, progress isn't being made and it's time to adjust our measurements — our actions.

The advantage of the planner is now you have observable evidence on whether you are making progress or not, and what activities are producing the progress you want.

One reason is because a planner tracks your past growth.

Providing a trail of evidence showing us what's working and what's not working. Giving us the ability to pivot and adapt very quickly.

The alternative is not realizing you've been off track for weeks, months, or even years just to find yourself still failing to achieve the outcome you thought you'd been pursuing.

However, just because you have your planner filled out does not equate to real progress. You may be extremely busy but not being productive.

This is where planners play a pivotal role by helping us track our past growth. Equipping us with the evidence to measure and make more accurate cuts for our future growth.

#3. Planners Are Prediction Tools

You will begin to see patterns for success.

Things that if practiced enough will produce specific results.

Another great quote from Jim Rohn is,

"Success is just a few acts of self-discipline, practiced daily, over a reasonable period of time."

With the planner, it gives you a tremendous amount of evidence to identify what those acts of "self-discipline" are.

With that evidence, you can predict what outcome will happen if you practice them daily over a reasonable period of time.

And with a quick glance at your planner, it will show you exactly where you're growing.

Even if you have no idea where you are going, have zero clue what outcome you want to achieve, or can't seem to make up your mind on what goals or direction to grow in. If you use the planner anyway, then look at your activities, you will be able to see a prediction of where you're growing.

You may find that you've been growing personally and didn't realize it until the planner showed you.

Once you learn how to use the planner, making accurate predictions becomes easier.

#4. Planners Are Structure Tools

In John C. Maxwell's book "The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth" he writes about,

"The Law of Design: to maximize growth, develop strategies."

Sometimes we can get to thinking that as long as I use a planner then I'll grow to where I want to.

There are tremendous advantages to using a planner, however, if we use the planner with the wrong strategy, then our growth will be limited.

To maximize our growth we have to create both the right structure and the right strategy.

John C. Maxwell continues in his book by saying,

"As you develop strategies for growth remember to keep them personal, repeatable, and transferable. A beautifully conceived strategy does you no good if you can't use it."

Your strategy for growth is extremely important and yes it can be done without using a planner. However, what truly sets people apart is their system of choice.

Michael Gerber made a profound statement about systems when he said,

"Systems permit ordinary people to achieve extraordinary results predictably. However, without a system, even extraordinary people find it difficult to predictably achieve even ordinary results."

That's the beautiful thing about all this. Even if you're an ordinary person, with the right system you can achieve extraordinary results.

That's what a planner is all about…

Creating a system for helping people achieve their goals, even if you feel ordinary, you can achieve extraordinary results.

Planners help you dial in the perfect strategy for your growth by laying a foundational system for you to practice using.

Once you become familiar with how the system and strategy for goal achievement work, then you can develop the best ones for you.

You can ditch the planner and use whatever system fits your style best. However, starting with a planner is a foundational part of understanding what a successful system looks like.

As you consider creating your own life plan remember that the purpose of a planner is to Prepare, Measure, Predict, and Structure… You!

Please let me know your thoughts and reviews in the comments, thank you for reading.

This Makes Day-Blog 81/365!

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Your Friend, Cole A. Randall

P.S. You can learn more about my book "Facing Reality" by going to: www.facingreality.pro/preorder