How to make a life plan with short, medium and long-term goals

Updated October 4, 2026

A life plan is not a wish list. It is a set of goals ordered by time frame, with concrete actions to get started. For a returned missionary leaving a very structured life, putting it in writing helps you move forward with clarity.

The three time frames

• Short term: up to about six months. For example, finish a book or build an exercise routine.
• Medium term: one to three years. For example, learn a language or move ahead in your studies.
• Long term: five years or more. For example, finish a degree, start a family or own a home.

Step 1: write what you want in four areas

Think about the spiritual, intellectual, physical and social. Write without filtering. You will choose afterward.

Step 2: sort each idea by time frame

Ask how much time you reasonably need. If something feels long term, ask what the first short-term step would be.

Step 3: turn each goal into an action with a date

A goal like "get in shape" is vague. "Run three times a week for two months" can be done and measured.

Step 4: review every week

Spend ten minutes looking at your goals, marking progress and deciding what you will do this week. That weekly review is what keeps the plan alive.

Step 5: adjust every quarter

Your circumstances change. Every three months check whether the goals still make sense, close the ones you have reached and add new ones.

Tips

• A few well-defined goals work better than many.
• Make each goal measurable, with a number or a date.
• Keep your plan somewhere you see every day.

In RMPlanner you can organize your goals by time frame, with a progress bar and a date, and see them from the home screen.