Why Your Life Plan Must Come Before Your Business Plan (Even When Urgent Decisions Loom)

When the pressure’s on—whether you’re taking a new job, launching a project, or thinking of growing your business—the go-to move is to blueprint the professional side first. What gets lost, too often, is a real map for your personal life. One founder realized, the hard way, that chasing ambitious sales goals led him to miss his daughter’s school play and feel like a stranger at his own dinner table. Only after a financial crisis forced him to step back did he dare ask, 'What do I actually want from all this?' Sometimes the biggest wins come not from another contract, but from reclaiming time and purpose. Science backs this up: when people put values and life vision ahead of business, their satisfaction and resilience rise, and burnout drops.

Start with the tough questions tonight. Grab a notebook and picture what your happiest five-years-from-now day looks like. List priorities outside work—kids, time off, learning, health, whatever makes your heart stronger. Then, pull out your current business plan or goals, and with honesty, check if they build the life you want, or pull you further from it. Adjust your plan, however small, to support who you want to become. Revisit this practice every few months and watch your work and life start to fit together, instead of pulling you apart.