Planning, Sequentials, Branches...oh my

Planning, Sequentials, Branches...oh my

As we talk through our PlanFam conversations, it is important to use our planning skillsets and conversations in a manner that helps us "see around the corner."  We can borrow from our military planning partners for a few concepts that importantly align with how we should view planning.  We've talked about the "base" plans that speak to your mission/vision/values, as well as your strategy/objectives/goals, and often include our more detailed "daily" plans.  All of these nest within each other and build upon each other, hopefully seamlessly, to get you and yours, over the long haul to where you're trying to go.  

The concept we'd like to introduce here involves the "branches and sequels" of plans that we need to

Sometimes when you
come to a branch, you
just have to swing.

think through.  To unpack this a bit, this concept is where we think through our current seasonal plan (e.g. what we want to accomplish in the pre-schooler years) and what's next.  The sequential plan idea here is that we know the next plan will be, in this case, a plan addressing the elementary school years and what we hope to accomplish.  Our sequel plan, when used correctly, should allow us to successfully and seamlessly span as a bridge between other plans on a timeline.  In this example, what we're viewing as a sequential plan addresses the kindergarten readiness skills, what activities we want our kids to be involved in (or not), some milestones, and some recreation components along with some financial ramifications.  These sequence plans, in our realm, could be compared to bridging those "rites of passage" moments where other, bigger plans take over. 

On the flip side, as you work your way down the proverbial timeline, our branch plans are off-chute or contingency-type plans.  In other words, these become pre-scripted "if-then" sort of logic problems that help us think through those (good and bad) situations that pop up along the way.  From a negative perspective, at some point, everyone dies.  If you're at the age where you're having kids, getting married, etc...chances are, you're not so far from a grandparent or parent passing away.  Our branch plan could be a plan that discusses our participation in such an event ahead of time...when we aren't staring emotion and adrenaline in the face.  For example, we've got out-of-state relatives who are getting to those ages and we've used our plan (verbal) to talk through and assign resources (e.g. Person A would fly out, and we've set aside cash in an account (emergency fund) to cover that expense).  We also put together a "branch" plan for unexpected job loss so, if (and hopefully it doesn't) happens, we're more ready to respond from logic and reason than from fear and anger.  

And sometimes, when you meet a new path,
you just have to walk down it.

On the flip side, we've also built in "good event" branch plans to help us understand "what must be true to say yes" as it relates to good opportunities for job changes.  We often can get overexcited and caught up in emotion when a job opportunity floats past.  This environment where we've got the "kid at Christmas" excitement likely doesn't help us see that the grass isn't necessarily greener on the other side, or objectively evaluate the new potential change.  Long story short, our branch plan in this space addresses what is/is not on the table - salary requirements, time off requirements, benefits, and such.  Now, when a cool opportunity floats by, we aren't sweating it or considering it if it doesn't "fit in the box" we've built.  The same type of plan could be laid out for kid activities, church activities, extracurricular activities, and so forth.  As you're moving down the timeline, having a few "branches" on the timeline that are thought through ahead of time allows you to take/or not those proverbial off-ramps more smoothly.

Before you get too worried about the "nerd tempo" on some of these advanced planning concepts, it's important to realize that these plans can be as thin or detailed as you find useful.  They can take the form of written encyclopedia length, or simply an intentional, proactive conversation...or anything in between those two ends.  The idea, in all of our Plan Fam space, is that you're living your best life through proactive intentionality...written or verbal planning...is an outgrowth of that way of doing life.  Don't overthink the planning process, but spend some time talking with your loved ones about where you're heading and how you'll get there.  Working through those planning efforts brings you the chance of successfully ending where you intend to way higher.   

With you in the arena, from ours to yours...Happy Trails!

Call to Action: 

• Write down three "sequence" or "branch" plans that you can see in the short-term future of your family's timeline.
• 1 - ___________________
• 2 - ___________________
• 3 - ___________________
• Write down or have a conversation with your loved ones about how you're going to handle one of these plans (e.g. in this coming season of life, what activities are you going to say "yes" to)
• Consider drawing a strategic timeline for the years ahead and put in some logical sequences and branches you want to consider.  
• Discussion: Consider what you/your family could/would/should (level of commitment) and start/stop/sustain (action)

Further Reading, Motivation, and References:

- Wiki article from the Army - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fragplan#:~:text=The%20US%20Army%20describes%20a,outcomes%20of%20the%20current%20operation%22. 

- Older thesis on how this works - https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA234501.pdf.