6 Research-Backed Tips to Become Better at Planning Ahead

#1 telling yourself you're not a planner

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Planning ahead transforms dreams into achievable goals.

This is the third entry in a 6-part mini-series on how to adopt a long-term money mindset.

In part one, I highlighted the many benefits of thinking in the long run and reviewed research on five traits found to help people adopt this mindset:

1. Confidence about the future.

2. Tendency to plan ahead.

3. Consistency in carrying out plans.

4. Completing tasks.

5. General thinking about future possibilities.

In this series, we're taking a deep dive into each trait, and today we are discussing how to become a better planner.

Benefits of planning ahead

A 2022 research paper explores the reasons behind people's planning or lack thereof.

The research paper aims to identify why people fail to plan and offers solutions to overcome these challenges.

This is crucial because, as the researchers point out planning has a huge impact on your ability to achieve any type of goal.

1. Clarification and Action: Planning turns abstract goals into concrete, actionable steps, reducing the mental effort needed to decide on the next action. This is key because goals without any action is a recipe for disappointment.

2. Feeling in Control of your life: Planning ahead can help you feel in control of your life as it allows you to tailor your actions around your schedule, competing goals and other obligations in life. A well-thought out plan to go to the gym three times a week can take into account the idea that you have three kids and very limited free time.

3. Actually achieving goals: Through planning, you can set realistic and specific goals, monitor their progress, and adjust plans as necessary. This structured approach helps in consistently working towards and achieving those goals and, providing a clear path to success and a sense of accomplishment.

Action, control, and achievement—that’s how planning helps you smash your goals.

6 research backed actions to take to become a better planner

Now, let’s discuss what the research says about actions you can take to become better at planning ahead.

#1—Stop telling yourself you’re not a planner

If you self-identify as someone who isn’t good at planning ahead, that is the first thing you need to change.

Remember, there are different ways you can plan ahead—In fact here are six different ways to create a plan: