How to Create a LifePlan (And Why You Might Need One)

How to Create a LifePlan (And Why You Might Need One)

Most leaders have a strategy for their business. But when it comes to their life? They’re winging it.

We meet a lot of people at crossroads—folks who are asking the bigger questions:

  • “What’s next?”
  • “What am I really doing this for?”
  • “Am I living intentionally, or just reacting?”

That’s why we guide leaders through the Paterson LifePlan process.

It’s not coaching. It’s not therapy. It’s a framework for designing a meaningful life with clarity of purpose and peace of mind.

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Why Create a LifePlan?

We’ve walked with CEOs in burnout. Business owners who just sold. Spouses trying to make a major decision. Leaders who feel like they’ve drifted from their values.

They’re not broken. They’re just in transition.

But when someone puts language to their purpose, everything shifts. That’s where a LifePlan comes in. Here’s what you get with one.

"A LifePlan isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s a personal strategic plan for the rest of your life."

Not sure if you need a LifePlan?
Start here.

The 4 Steps to Creating a LifePlan

We facilitate LifePlans using the Paterson framework, built around four distinct but connected phases. Each one is designed to give you more clarity, ownership, and alignment in your life.

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1. Perspective: Where Am I Now?

You can’t move forward until you know where you’re starting from.

In this phase, we walk through:

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Your life story and defining moments

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Core talents, passions, and values

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How you’re wired (personality, motivations, etc.)

Most people experience at least one “aha” moment in this phase. It’s powerful, reflective, and deeply affirming.

2. Planning: What’s Most Important Right Now?

You can’t move forward until you know where you’re starting from.

In this phase, we walk through:

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Identify 3–5 life priorities

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Clarify goals and intentions in each area

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Establish rhythms of rest, work, and replenishment

Most people experience at least one “aha” moment in this phase. It’s powerful, reflective, and deeply affirming.

3. Management: How Am I Doing?

This is where strategy meets accountability. We guide you to build a rhythm of reflection, so your plan doesn’t collect dust:

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Monthly or quarterly check-ins

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Regular realignment with your LifePlan

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Invitations to community or support structures that keep you on track

"Plans don’t self-execute.”

TOM PATERSON

4. Renewal: What Must Change?

Life isn’t static. Your LifePlan shouldn’t be either.

We teach you how to return to your plan each year—revisit, refine, and renew. This isn’t a one-and-done weekend. It’s a living framework.

You’ll walk away with:

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A clear personal mission

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A practical plan for living it out

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A repeatable method to refresh it as your life evolves

Need Help Creating a LifePlan?

What It’s Like to Work With Us

We facilitate LifePlans in private, two-day sessions—either one-on-one or with couples/teams. The experience is guided, but not rigid. You bring your story. We bring the framework, the questions, and the space to discover.

What you can expect:

  • Thoughtful facilitation from a Barzel Guide (not therapy or advice-giving)
  • Clarity around what matters most
  • A plan you’ll actually want to live out
Life Planning

Frequently Asked Questions

We Believe Every Life Deserves a Plan

There’s a reason this process feels so personal—because it is! We’ve seen what happens when people live without direction. We’ve also seen what happens when they finally gain it.

You don’t have to drift. You can design a life that’s worth waking up for.