After you have generally decided what you want from your life, a certain long-term plan may begin to take shape in your mind. It does not have to be clear and detailed. What matters more here is the percentage ratio — when and roughly what percentage you want to accomplish. Of course, it is important that your drafts are not a sick fantasy detached from your life but realistically achievable. Suppose you should accomplish 10% of this plan within the next 3 years, with the rest in equal parts thereafter. Accordingly, already in the first year you will have to work hard for your goals and accomplish roughly one third of the planned 10 percent.
In the book "Outliers: The Story of Success" the author shows that what distinguishes a genius from an outsider is not talent but productive routine work and practice. Suppose you want to become a famous musician. This plan would suit you perfectly. With it you could map out your life down to such nuances as:
a) the total number of hours I will devote to practice;
b) the total number of compositions I want to create individually (or with my band);
c) the total number of concert tours I want to go on;
d) the amount of money I want to earn from this activity;
e) any other goals.
In fact, almost all of this can be planned. Of course, the first drafts of goals will still be detached from reality, since you are not yet a professional and expert in that field. But with each year, as you adjust your life plan, the goals will become more specific and the plan itself more realistic.
Someone might object that creative professions are least amenable to planning and analysis. Of course, that person is partly right. Perhaps it is impossible to create art on a schedule and by force. However, what I am certain of is that talent has nothing to do with it here, and everything is decided by people's determination and perseverance. Many people lack perseverance. You should not divide yourself into talented or untalented — you just need to take action. Do it regularly, do it every day, do it regardless of anything. Everyone can have difficult days, weeks or even months, but not life as a whole.
Returning to our example of the musician, whom I am not at all (and accordingly my plan may be far from reality), it is important to note that in this case it is needed only as an example. I would proceed as follows: if my life plan is "become a great musician," then goals for the next 3–5 years would be:
a) decide whether in the near future I will be part of a band or pursue a solo career. Or perhaps try both options;
b) rack up N thousand hours on the chosen musical instrument;
c) create X compositions.
And somewhere far off in the drafts of my life plan I would also have such items:
d) go on concert tours to M countries Y times;
e) earn Z money.
Of course, each year I would adjust my goals based on my strength and surrounding factors (for example, other band members, if I performed in a band). I would reflect and analyze whether I am achieving the goals I set or not. If not, why? Of course, I would ask myself one of the main questions: are these goals really needed by me, and are there more important goals for achieving my plan? And only as I gained some experience, the ability to soberly assess my strength and a good understanding of the industry would I start setting financial goals and adjusting items d) and e). However, I would definitely have some plan for the next 3–5 years, even if abstract.
