Let's face it - as busy executives, we're often so caught up in crafting strategies for our companies that we forget about our own game plan. We're all guilty of pouring our energy into our jobs, right? But what about mapping out our own lives?
That's where Scott Couchenour (pronounced: COKE-an-hour) comes in. Scott's not your typical business advisor – he's the founder of Fourth Quarter Coaching and has a pretty wild story. He's been through the entrepreneurial wringer and came out with hard-won wisdom to share.
So, let’s join Scott for a third-wave coffee and dive into invaluable insights on creating a personal strategic plan to help you navigate life's ups and downs with greater resilience and purpose.
The Wake-Up Call
Couchenour's journey to becoming a life strategist was born from adversity. After a successful 30-year career in his family's church-building business, including 24 years as COO and 2.5 years as CEO, Couchenour faced a pivotal moment when the company was forced to close its doors in 2015.
"I lost my identity. I had added my title and my responsibilities like barnacles to my identity, and that became my identity. I combined my identity with my career, my title, my responsibility."
This sudden loss of career and identity led Couchenour to a profound realization: there are two ways of living – by default or by design.
1) Living by Default
Ever feel like you're just going through the motions? That's what Scott calls "living by default." It's like being on autopilot - reacting to whatever life throws at you without steering the ship. Scott puts it pretty bluntly: "After 10 years of that, I'm going to look back and say, what was it all for? I'm at the same place I was 10 years ago."
Ouch, right? But it's true. When we're just bouncing from one crisis to the next or floating along when things are good, we're not really growing. We're just repeating the same year over and over. It's like being stuck in your own personal Groundhog Day, minus the laughs.
2) Living by Design
Now, flip that script. Living by design is about grabbing the wheel and deciding where you want to go. It's not about controlling everything - let's face it, life's always gonna throw curveballs - but it's about having a game plan.
Scott's got a cool way of describing this. He calls it "being in the act of becoming the fullest expression of your unique God-given design." It means figuring out who you really are and what you want, then making choices that line up with that.
When you're living by design, you've got a roadmap. So when those curveballs come (and they will), you're not knocked off course for long. You can bounce back faster because you know where you're headed.
The cool thing is, when you're intentional like this, you're not just surviving - you're actually growing and changing. Each year builds on the last, instead of just being a repeat. That's how you turn 10 years of living into 10 years of real experience and growth.
The Six Hallmarks of a Fantastic Life
Couchenour's approach to personal strategic planning revolves around six key areas:
1) Spiritually anchored
2) Physically fit
3) Relationally rich
4) Emotionally healthy
5) Vocationally aligned
6) Financially free
By developing aspirational statements for each of these areas, you create a framework for decision-making and personal growth. This holistic approach ensures that your choices align with your values and long-term goals across all aspects of your life.
Overcoming Mental Blocks
For many executives, the biggest challenge in creating a personal strategic plan is overcoming mental blocks and limiting beliefs. Couchenour emphasizes the importance of "shaking off the barnacles" – rediscovering who you are at your core, beyond your professional titles and responsibilities.
This process involves examining your core values, personality, gifts, strengths, weaknesses, and skills. By gaining clarity on these fundamental aspects of yourself, you can craft more authentic and meaningful purpose, vision, and mission statements for your life.
The Power of Perspective
One of the key benefits of having a personal strategic plan is the ability to gain perspective on life's challenges. Scott uses the analogy of the Dow Jones Industrial graph to illustrate this point:
"Give yourself permission to be afraid. When you fight the emotions, you're only prolonging the recovery."
By viewing life's events through the lens of your strategic plan, you can make more informed decisions and maintain a sense of agency, even in difficult times.
Implementing Your Personal Strategic Plan
What does Scott recommend? Working in 90-day sprints to implement and refine your personal strategic plan allows for regular reflection and adjustment, ensuring that your plan remains relevant and effective.
This iterative process leads to compounding growth and clarity, often resulting in achieving long-term goals faster than initially anticipated.
The Ripple Effect of Personal Strategy
While the primary focus of a personal strategic plan is individual growth and fulfillment, Couchenour emphasizes that its impact extends far beyond the individual.
By aligning your actions with your values and long-term vision, you create a ripple effect that can influence others and contribute to causes greater than yourself.
Key Takeaways for Executives
- Recognize the difference between living by default and living by design.
- Develop a personal strategic plan that addresses all six hallmarks of a fantastic life.
- Regularly reassess and refine your plan through 90-day sprints.
- Use your strategic plan as a framework for decision-making and gaining perspective on life's challenges.
- Consider the long-term impact of your actions and decisions beyond your own lifetime.
Couchenour's journey from successful COO to accidental entrepreneur and life strategist offers valuable lessons for executives at all stages of their careers. By crafting a personal strategic plan, you can navigate life's ups and downs with greater resilience, make decisions that align with your values, and create a lasting impact that extends beyond your professional achievements.
Don't wait for a crisis or major life change to prompt you to create your personal strategic plan. Start today, and set yourself on a path to becoming the fullest expression of your unique potential.
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