The 4 Steps to Creating a LifePlan
Whatever method you use to create your life plan, it should give you more clarity, ownership, and alignment in your life. At The Barzel Group, we use the 4 steps of the Paterson LifePlan framework:
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:
Your life story and defining moments
Core talents, passions, and values
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:
Identify 3–5 life priorities
Clarify goals and intentions in each area
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:
Monthly or quarterly check-ins
Regular realignment with your LifePlan
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:
A clear personal mission
A practical plan for living it out
A repeatable method to refresh it as your life evolves
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."
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
