Lessons From Skydiving: Don't Jump Without A Plan

Life doesn't come with a handbook. There's no manual. No F1 key to press when you don't know what to do. I would give anything to be able to pull up the Life PDF and search for "crazy woman" when Sara is flippin' out because I haven't taken out the trash. Or if I could search for "overdraft" to give me tips for negotiating when calling the bank to check my balance. Quick search terms would no doubt include: Breaking Up, Stressed Out, Crazy Kids and Relationship Issues.

As the plane climbed higher and higher, I asked my jump partner how far away we'd be from the landing zone when we jumped. He told me that we'd be 2 to 3 miles away. He said that at times they jump from up to ten miles away making adjustments for wind direction and speed. If you pull your chute to early, the wind could carry you way off course, pull the chute to late and you wont make it back. Here I thought we were just jumping out of a plane. Turns out the guys jumping with me knew exactly how far from the ground and how far from the landing zone we'd be when we jumped. They knew the direction and speed of the wind at 10,000 feet, at 6,000 feet and at 3,000 feet. All of that info went into their decision as to when we'd open the chute.

As I look back on the jump and the things I learned from being pushed out of a plane, I realize that you can't just jump into anything without some sort of plan. While there isn't a Life PDF to consult when you go through the difficult moments in life, having a plan helps eliminate some of the surprises.

Having a plan helps you eliminate distractions. If you don't have a plan, there's no way to know whether the job you're about to take will get you where you ultimately want to go. When you have a plan, your decisions are made with more purpose because you know that every decision either gets you closer or further from the bigger picture.

I've failed to follow this simple rule for most of my life and I've got the scars to prove it. I often felt as if I were at sea without a sail or motor, drifting wherever the current took me. It's no fun when you realize you're at a place in life where you never intended to be. Fortunately for me and for you, it's never to late to make a plan.

Do you have a plan? Have you kept that plan in mind over the last few major life decisions?

I'd love to hear a short description of the big picture you see for your life. Leave me a comment and let me and my readers know about your plan. Sharing your big picture will reinforce that plan in your mind and help remind you of the direction you should be headed.

Maybe you're like me and your plan hasn't been as well defined as it should be. Today's a great day for us to start painting our big picture.