Action plans help people know what needs to be done to complete a task, project, initiative or strategy. An action plan generally includes steps, milestones, and measures of progress, as well as responsibilities, specific assignments, and a time line. Action plans are an important part of strategic planning.

First, let’s define how having a plan of action matters.

The Advantages of Planning Your Life

1. Sit down and make the time      and effort to plan your life, you will identify what is important to you.
2. Planning provides you with      a road map to get to your destination. It allows you to not only figure      out how you will get there, but also gives you a way to determine how far      you have come and how much more you have left to go.
3. Planning your life gives      you control. If you create a plan then you get to make choices and      decisions, rather than leaving things up to chance, or worse yet, letting      others make decisions for you.
4. It is much easier to      establish and maintain balance in your life when you make a plan. When      people, tasks and responsibilities try to get your attention and take you      off track, your plan will help you to decide how much attention you will      give to each of those distractions.
5. It is also easier to      identify and focus on your priorities when you create a plan.
6. Planning helps to make      your dreams more attainable. If you feel like your dreams are always      beyond your reach, it might be because you have never tried to develop a      plan on how you can actually reach them.
7. Having a sense of purpose      can go a long way to making you happier.
8. A plan will make it easier      to say “no” to things that are not as important to you. It can be      difficult to say “no” sometimes. But once you have learned to say “yes” to      your goals as outlined by your plan, it will be easy to decide which      opportunities are the important ones.
9. A planned life will give      you a sense of peace.
10. Having a plan will make      you feel more powerful. It not only gives you permission to live your life      according to how you want, but it also gives you the tools to do it.
11. A plan also makes you feel      more passionate.
12. Your plan will also help      you to visualize a better future.
13. Planning gives you a sense      of freedom. It gives you the freedom to plan your life anyway you want,      without having to explain, justify or obtain permission from anyone.
14. Finally, having a plan      ensures that you will have no regrets when you get to the end.