Mindfulness is in fashion and it probably has been since way before I got a chance to contemplate it. Living in the present. Being present. Noticing the moments of life as you go along rather than just occasionally exclaiming “Wow, time flies” every five years or so.

Since most psychological pain is a consequence of thoughts resting in the future or in the past, mindfulness and the ability to be present has the potential of curing a lot of unrest and worry. Because by focusing on the now you will occupy your thoughts with what’s currently going on and thus rendering you unable to pay attention to past memories or speculate about what will happen in the future. Because nothing is certain, worry about the future is futile.

Despite the fact that nothing is certain, however, I’d like to make the case for the making of a good plan.

Personally, I’ve always enjoyed planning. Or rather fantasising. Dreaming. Taking notes. Synthesizing thoughts into achievable goals and paths to which I can direct my life.

Recently I found a document hidden in a folder on my computer, and it was full of what seemed to be random notes. This particular document was called A good plan and was written nine days after I returned home from spending a couple of months abroad in places where I had acquired a new perspective on life and had also managed to clarify my personal philosophy.

It contained only a few lines:
Work in the insurance sector with customs dating back to the 17’th century. Same basic idea all over the world. Apply for trainee program at company x and move to Copenhagen, Denmark.

Did that happen? Nah. Instead I’m currently working in the insurance sector without having participated in any trainee program. And most importantly, I’m not living in Denmark, but in Finland. Damn, things just really don’t work out sometimes, huh?

But what’s really interesting is that I didn’t do very much to make that plan come into action. What happened was that suddenly, eight months after having jotted down those lines, a friend sent a me an ad for a job and said “they appear to be looking for you”. The application deadline was two hours later, on the same day that I was notified.

At the time I was exploring opportunities to work with newly formed companies in my home city, mainly because I was looking to work with different kinds of engineers. There and then I had put the plans to work in insurance aside. But of course I applied for the job. And three weeks later I found myself living in Finland.

I was able make this seemingly rash decision and pack up and move because I’d previously planned for a similar scenario. I had therefore already considered what stakes might be involved and had formed a clear opinion on whether the alternative might be a good fit for me, which is why it was easy to act without hesitation once the opportunity presented itself.

Opportunities come and go all the time – whether we’re able to seize them or not largely depend on 1) whether we can identify them as they come along and 2) whether we’re willing to act upon them. Having created a good plan, or preferably many, greatly facilitates the two.

Make plans and be mindful as you do. Then either act upon them with all that you’ve got or put them aside in favour for something else. Either way – a good plan will always help you to lead a life that you find interesting.