"Don't part with your dreams. When they are gone, you may still exist, but you have ceased to live." - Mark Twain

 

We all have dreams and ambitions, no matter how old we are. I still remember back in elementary when we used to bring those little "Autograph" books… those handwritten journals where we'd ask our friends and classmates to answer questions, or you could even buy one from the National Bookstore. Those memories stick with me because, even as kids, we already understood the idea of dreaming big. We wrote our goals down because, deep down, we knew we wanted to achieve them. Then, as we got older, questions like "What's your ambition?" would pop up in graduation books, and we’d proudly answer them. Those questions follow us through life, and we take pride in how we answer them. Fast forward to today, and now we have tools like “My Life Plan: A Personal Strategic Plan Revised Edition” by Peter D. Henson, which helps us organize and break down our dreams and goals into actionable steps. It’s the grown-up version of making those ambitions a reality.

 

If you’re someone who has big dreams but isn’t sure how to get started, this book might be exactly what you need. This isn’t one of those overly optimistic, pie-in-the-sky self-help books…it’s a detailed, practical workbook that walks you through every step of turning your aspirations into achievable goals. One of my favorites is Chapter 8, where Henson asks you to dream big. The exercise of listing at least 100 dreams, with the help of his thought-provoking questions is liberating. It’s not just about the “what ifs”… it’s about giving yourself permission to imagine a future that excites you. What I really appreciate about the book is how clear and practical it is. Henson takes the often-intimidating world of strategic planning and makes it accessible for individuals. The core idea is simple but effective: treat your life like a business, with a mission, vision, and concrete goals. It’s an approach that’s methodical without feeling too rigid.

 

“My Life Plan: A Personal Strategic Plan Revised Edition” is a must-read for anyone looking to bring structure and purpose to their ambitions. It’s a manual for people who are ready to stop wishing and start doing. If you’re serious about designing the life you want, one goal at a time…this book will guide you every step of the way. Just be prepared to put in the work, because Henson makes it clear: dreams are free, but achieving them takes effort.