STEWARTALLEN

Stewartallen Group is dedicated to providing objective, verifyable and useful information about how to develop the "self". Our goal is to support each person's transition from primary dependence on what ever that may be to rock solid self-reliance and a harmonious independent lifestyle wherein everything is possible. If you are interested in this kind of transformation, you are in the right place. Further, you are welcome to a free webpage and email account.

So how do you begin? Well, first, you must know where you are going! According to another well-known adage of unknown attribution, you must "know thyself."

How? Prepare a "Vision statement" - your very own personal view of what your future should look like. Note that a Vision statement is similar to a corporate "Mission statement", written goals that appear to be very effective on the organizational and institutional levels. The only difference is that you will not have to contend with useless committes and boring meetings with folks unable or afraid to make a decision. No, with a Vision statement, you are in the driver's seat; you are the author of the vision, therefore you can change it at will as the circumstances demand so that it reflects what you feel and believe your future should be. 

CONTENTS OF THE VISION STATEMENT

Your Vision statement is really a set of plans related to your career, financies, lifestyle and personal objectives let's say 10 years from the date of the visioning. Each plan should reflect your vision of what you would like to see occur in the career, financial, lifestyle and personal aspects of your life. If you own a pet and want to plan for it as well, then do so.

Ten years or any even number thereof is a good benchmark because this makes it easier to do intermediate planning. For example, based on your 10-year plan, you can set meaningful eight, six, four and two year plans - all of which are progressive steps leading up to the 10-year grand finale.  

Career plans should include what you would like to do, where, the industry and your function. For example, suppose you are a newly minted MBA, you could start as an entry level analyst and remain in that position for the next two years so that you can learn the business. Next, you could plan to become a senior analyst for the ensuiing two years. After four years, you should plan to assume a supervisory  position. Six years later, you could envision yourself as the head of the department. In your eighth year, vision yourself as head of a division and after ten years, see yourself as the chief financial officer. This type of planning is suitable for those involved in industry or other conventional career paths.

Financial considerations. Mapping out your financial plans should include the compensation, as well as investment goals you wish to achieve at the two, four, six, eight and 10-year marks. Your Financial plan will be a function of your career plan to the extent that most of your income will be earned from your various jobs along the way.

Lifestyle plans include the kind of quality of life you would like to have. Will it be an urban, city lifestyle, one in the mountains, near the beach, on a boat, in another country? You decide, and then plan to attain that lifestyle in progressive steps, as they relate to your career and financial plans within each time frame you establish.

Personal Plans should include such issues as marriage or not, children or not, care giving [to aging parents] continuing self education, helping others [community work] and travel outside your geographical sphere of influence.