This lesson answers the question what are your areas of focus, you will find it on page 16 of the workbook. This is the first major step in the life planning process, identifying your areas of focus. Remember, we are to focus on what is important in our life and that's what this process is about. You will only pursue what is important to you. Therefore, identify your areas of focus for five or six areas of focus. So what what is an area of focus?
We like to look at what people events or projects are the most important in your life? What is vying for your attention? So you need to analyze that and prioritize to determine what are the main important areas of your life examples my be, you know, areas of family, career hobbies, other kinds of commitments in your life. So here's a reality check. If you look back over the last three months at your check, register, how you spend money, and your calendar, how you spend time, you might get an idea of what is important to you. Now, just because you're spending money or time on something doesn't mean it should be an area of focus.
But this may be a good Reality Check for you. Are you spending your time and money on what is important? So you need to plan to pursue the things that are important to you. This is true now as you determine your areas of focus. And it is true later when you start to select goals related to each area focus. Here's an example that I like to use when I'm teaching life planning.
What do you see here? Well, we see a jar that has some Sand at the bottom, some smaller rocks. And as we get to the top, the rocks are bigger. Well, the big rocks represent what's truly important in your life. And the problem that we have here is they're not in the jar, this person is not attending to what's important. So what you need to do is empty everything out, put the big rocks in the jar, and then fill up the remaining space with smaller rocks and sand.
And you'll even notice that the jar is not completely full. So this would be an example of a person that has all the big rocks in their jar. They're, they're attending to what's important. Other things are in there, but they have some margin. They're not completely full. So that's just an object lesson of what we're trying to accomplish here in the life planning process.
So on page 33, I have a place where you can write down What your, you know areas of focus are and you'll see I have six places to write, I don't think that you should have more than six. If you do, you feel free to add, but try to come up with at least four or five or six of the most important areas of your life. Now, let me give you an example in my life. My areas of focus are my own personal development, my walk with God, my family, my work that I call the potter's wheel, and my personal well being, those are the areas that are important to me. Other things come my way and I do other things not related to the these these areas, but they guide me and direct me and making decisions about what I'm going to do and how I'm going to spend my money.
The next lesson, we're going to focus on creating an ideal future state For each area, focus