I Made An Odyssey Plan (follow along + use my template)

I was watching a YouTube video recently from Ali Abdaal where he mentioned using an Odyssey Plan.

So I decided to do some digging and give it a try.

It ended up being a super creative and fun process. But it’s also turned into a new personal development asset – so I thought I’d share my template and process here.

Let’s get to it.

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What’s An Odyssey Plan? (meaning + benefits)

The information in this post is from research by Bill Burnett, coauthor of Designing Your Life and professor at Stanford University.

This is simply my interpretation and personal experimentation with the process.

So, life and goal planning are nothing new — so what’s an Odyssey Plan?

An Odyssey Plan is brainstorming and designing how your life might look or unfold looking ahead. It’s awareness for the different paths you could take.

It’s a fresh perspective on how to see your future options and organize things.

It’s not a strict this-then-that plan, but one that’s changeable and adapts to life’s curveballs. It’s more dynamic — like a living long-term plan.

And there are some noteworthy perks to this style of goal-setting.

Why Should I? (some benefits)

• Better, more informed decision making

• More flexibility and adaptability

• More clarity on what you want and why

• Sharpens creative thinking

• Reduces stress by creating multiple paths forward

• Improves motivation and purpose

• Supports personal growth and development

• It’s life exploration (which is awesome and fun)

How to Create An Odyssey Plan (my 4-step template)

Let’s create an Odyssey Plan.

This is the process I used and what works for me.

1. Brainstorm Possibilities

Before making a plan, we need something to plan for.

(I know, duh…)

But this first step is different from just thinking of 5-year goals or targets to aim for.

Odyssey Planning starts with brainstorming multiple potential paths forward.

For example, in 5 (or even 10) year’s time, I see my future unfolding in 6 potential ways (each of which I’d be totally psyched on):

Organizing my paths forward this way already feels exciting and adds clarity — like lanterns were installed on my paths forward.

Now I can start exploring the details of each option.

I can start designing these potential paths (the really fun part).

2. Design Your Paths

Step one was brainstorming, which is like creating an outline for a drawing.

Now we can add in some color by writing down details, strategies and planning elements for each path.

Let’s use one of my paths as an example: my entrepreneurial path.

Here’s a general design of how my AI business path could unfold:

1. I start researching and testing AI products for business

2. I create high-quality, free content on what I learn for a specific target audience

1. e.g. ecommerce fashion brands eager to use AI (but don’t know how to)

3. I use SEO and social media (Twitter and LinkedIn) to promote it

4. I create a free, high-value digital product and start building an email list

5. I offer free services testing my solutions and turn them into case studies

6. I leverage that social proof to offer premium consulting services and grow an agency

Of course, this is just a guess for how I could pursue this path. Things will likely change and evolve if I pursue it.

But I can start breaking down each step into micro actions and daily tasks.

So on that note, let’s move to step three.

3. Choose + Try

Now it’s time to focus and take action (if you haven’t already started).

Having an Odyssey Plan adds more intention and direction to your pursuits and micro actions.

Your daily tasks have a clear purpose. It’s awareness for how your current actions fit into (and are creating) one of your future life paths.

via GIPHY

We just need to dial in on what actions we should be taking.

But since an Odyssey Plan is built around the idea of pursuing multiple potential paths, a little time management and focus is helpful.

I like to manage multiple pursuits like this:

• Focus

• Identify your highest priority paths and alternate your focus on them

• Organize

• Organize things by time blocking your schedule

• Systematize

• Break down each path into micro goals and nano tasks to focus on

• Expand

• Reflect on what’s working and what’s not — expand and evolve

4. Iterate + Reflect

This last stage of my Odyssey Planning is for analysis and reflection.

Each of my paths will likely require constant tweaking and assessment. It’s all very dynamic.

For this, a little intuition (and a little data) should do the trick.

First, I tend to prioritize the things I’m having the most fun doing (kind of obvious, I know).

But it’s easy to get distracted by things like money or perceived likelihood of success.

For example, pursuing an AI agency path sounds like the highest leverage choice that makes the most monetary sense.

But what if I’m more passionate about creating travel-inspired content that uses my own music and narrations on mindset and creativity?

For me, the second more creative option may be the better lever to pull (if my passion isn’t in the other path). It takes intuition to know where to put your focus and why.

But using data can add some extra clarity.

For example, monitoring my content performance metrics will tell me how well my creative path is working (and if I need to change my strategy or tweak something).

I could even quantify my happiness levels and run the numbers on my fulfillment.

For example, I could record my level of satisfaction after pursuing each of my paths everyday. And then get a baseline month-to-month average for each path.

But however methodical you decide to get (or not get), just remember to keep your expectations and Odyssey Planning open and adaptable.

And more importantly, have fun with it.

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