Is It Okay to Not Have a Plan?



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The importance of planning for the future gets embedded into our brains right from childhood. Before an infant starts walking, the parents begin to plan about which school their child would go to. I have always been that person who has a detailed structured plan about what I am going to do next. Having a plan definitely works. However, with time, I have realized that sometimes it is okay to not have a plan.

We are often asked about where do we see ourselves in the next five years or so. But the truth remains that most of us do not even know what will we be doing the next day. However, we often have some prepared answer that is more often based on what we hope to be rather than what we will be. This question ignites a thought about the sustainability and feasibility of such plans.

I was a disciplined and sincere student since childhood. Therefore, society especially my relatives always expected that I must have a plan in mind. However, I could not make it my dream college and dream business school. Life had different plans for me than I had made for my life. If not the best, I ended up in better institutions. After joining these institutions, I have no regrets. I am thankful for the circumstances and my failed plans that landed me where I am today.

Life is so uncertain that we do not know what awaits us when we make a decision. Many of us spend sleepless nights over some pivotal decisions that will have an impact on our future.

They say change is the only constant. Well, plans change because sometimes we do not have control over them. Everyone has different experiences that deviate from their expectations. But this is ‘Life’ - a casket full of surprises. We often find ourselves revising our older plans and modifying them. Sometimes the circumstances force us into going out of our comfort zone and trying newer things. This helps in breaking the monotony of everyday existence and rejuvenate in the glory of new learnings.

Therefore, it is okay to not have a plan. If everyone had a plan for every day and every time, life would become so lackluster. It is time we realize that if we follow our hearts and passion, life would eventually turn out in our favor that would make us happy. We should enjoy our present as it would never come back. Our future would be shaped by what we do today.


Written by - Harshit Somani