Is it just me, or have you ever felt like you’re navigating through life without a compass? In the chaos of daily deadlines, client meetings, and personal commitments, it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture.
But what if I told you there’s a way to map out your ideal future with the precision of a master architect?
Enter the Hero on a Mission (HOAM) concept by Donald Miller at Business Made Simple—a game-changing approach that’s revolutionized how I view my personal and professional journey.
As someone straddling the worlds of corporate project management and entrepreneurial side hustles, I’ve struggled to find a framework that accommodates both the structure I need and the flexibility I crave.
The HOAM approach has been that perfect blend, offering a roadmap without constraining the adventure.
Why Your Life Needs a Roadmap (And How to Create One)
We’re all familiar with project roadmaps at work. We meticulously plan sprints, set milestones, and track progress. But how many of us apply that same strategic thinking to our lives?
The HOAM framework does just that, providing a structured way to envision and plan your future. It’s not about rigid goals or unrealistic expectations—it’s about crafting a vision that resonates with your deepest values and aspirations.
Think about it: would you start a road trip without a destination in mind? Probably not. Yet many of us navigate through life exactly that way, reacting to whatever comes our way rather than steering towards a chosen destination.
Creating a life roadmap isn’t about predicting every twist and turn; it’s about having a north star to guide your decisions.
Start with the End in Mind (No, Really)
Here’s where things get interesting, and a little uncomfortable. The HOAM framework kicks off with an exercise that might seem morbid at first: writing your own obituary.
Yes, you read that right. But stick with me here, because this exercise is incredibly powerful.
Imagine you’ve lived a full life and achieved everything you hoped for. What would people say about you? What impact would you have made? What legacy would you leave behind? This isn’t just about career achievements or material success. It’s about the lives you’ve touched, the relationships you’ve nurtured, and the mark you’ve left on the world.
When I first did this exercise, I was surprised by what emerged. Sure, I included some professional accomplishments—building a successful digital consultancy, giving talks on the intersection of technology and creativity. But what really stood out were the personal aspects:
- “He inspired a generation of creators to merge technology with storytelling.”
- “His innovative approach to work-life integration set a new standard in the tech industry.”
- “He was known for his unwavering support of aspiring entrepreneurs, mentoring dozens throughout his career.”
This exercise forced me to think beyond the next promotion or project launch. It made me confront the question: What do I want my life to mean? And more importantly, am I currently on a path to make that vision a reality?
Craft Your Life’s Tagline
Once you’ve envisioned the end of your story, it’s time to distill your life’s purpose into a single, compelling sentence. This “story summary” becomes your North Star, guiding your decisions and actions.
For a chronic overthinker like me, this was a challenge. How do you condense a lifetime of aspirations into one sentence? But after much reflection (and several cups of coffee), I arrived at this:
“A creative problem-solver on a mission to empower others through technology and storytelling.”
It sounds lofty, I know. But having this clear direction has been invaluable. When I’m torn between taking on another client project or dedicating time to my startup idea, I refer back to this summary. Does the opportunity align with my mission to empower others? Does it allow for creativity and problem-solving? Will it contribute to a life of purpose and adventure?
This summary isn’t set in stone. As you grow and evolve, your life’s tagline might shift too. The key is to have a clear, concise statement that encapsulates your core values and aspirations.
Time Travel (Without the DeLorean)
With your end goal and life’s tagline in place, it’s time for some structured dreaming. The HOAM approach guides you through creating 10-year, 5-year, and 1-year visions. It’s like being the architect of your own future, sketching out the blueprint for the life you want to build.
For each timeframe, you map out your aspirations across several key areas:
- Career
- Health
- Spirituality
- Family
- Friends
I’ll be honest—looking 10 years ahead felt like a stretch at first. But as I started jotting down ideas, a clearer picture emerged. Here’s a glimpse into my 10-year vision:
Career:
- Running a thriving digital consultancy with a focus on ethical tech and storytelling
- Published author of two books on creative entrepreneurship
Health:
- Completed my first marathon
- Established a consistent meditation practice
- Achieved a healthy work-life integration that allows for regular adventure and travel
Spirituality:
- Deepened my mindfulness practice
- Regularly volunteering with organizations that promote digital literacy in underserved communities
Family:
- Nurturing a strong, supportive partnership with my wife
- Mentoring young family members in their interests and challenges
Friends:
- Part of a vibrant community of fellow creators and innovators
- Annual retreat with a few close friends to reconnect and inspire each other
The 5-year and 1-year visions follow a similar structure but with increasing specificity. Your 1-year vision, in particular, should be quite detailed and actionable.
The power of this exercise lies in its comprehensiveness. It forces you to think holistically about your life, ensuring that your vision isn’t just about career success at the expense of everything else.
From Daydreams to Daily Actions
Here’s where the rubber meets the road. The HOAM framework doesn’t let you off the hook with vague aspirations. It challenges you to break down your vision into actionable goals and daily habits.
For me, this meant setting concrete milestones for my solopreneur ventures:
- Launch a course on building your digital platform within 6 months
- Reach $5000 monthly recurring revenue from my digital products within 1 year
- Secure a speaking slot at a major tech conference within 18 months
But it’s not just about big, audacious goals. The HOAM approach emphasizes the power of daily habits in bringing your vision to life. Some of the daily commitments I’ve made include:
- Dedicating the first hour of each day to creative work, no matter how busy my project management schedule gets
- Reading for 30 minutes every day to stay current in my field and fuel creativity
- Reaching out to one person in my network each day to nurture relationships and create opportunities
These daily actions might seem small, but they compound over time. That daily hour of creative work? Over a year, that’s 365 hours dedicated to bringing my vision to life. Those daily connections? They’re building the network that will support my future endeavors.
The Secret Sauce: Daily Reflection
Perhaps the most powerful aspect of HOAM is its emphasis on daily reflection. Using a simple but effective planner, you start each day by reviewing your life vision and setting priorities. It’s like a daily pep talk with your future self.
The planner includes sections for:
- Reviewing your life plan and goals
- Affirming your life story summary
- Identifying the most important projects for the day
- Planning for enjoyable moments in the day
- Reflecting on how to live the day with wisdom and intention
This practice has been a game-changer for me. On days when I’m tempted to get lost in the weeds of client requests or endless email threads, this quick morning check-in reminds me of the bigger picture. It helps me make decisions that align with my long-term vision, even amidst the chaos of daily demands.
For instance, when a high-paying but creatively stifling project came my way, my initial instinct was to take it for the financial security. But after reviewing my life vision during my morning reflection, I realized it would derail me from my true aspirations. I ended up declining the project and using that time to work on my own startup idea instead—a decision I might not have had the courage to make without this daily practice.
Embracing the Hero’s Journey
Adopting the HOAM approach isn’t about achieving perfection—it’s about embracing your role as the hero in your own life story. It acknowledges that challenges and setbacks are part of the journey, but keeps you focused on the ultimate destination.
In storytelling, the hero’s journey is a common narrative arc where the protagonist faces challenges, grows, and ultimately transforms. By viewing your life through this lens, you start to see obstacles not as roadblocks, but as opportunities for growth and development.
For me, it’s brought a sense of purpose to even the most mundane tasks. That late-night debugging session? It’s not just fixing code; it’s honing skills that will serve my future consultancy. The weekend spent on a pitch deck for my side project? It’s laying the groundwork for those conference talks I envision in my future.
This mindset shift has been crucial in maintaining motivation, especially when juggling multiple roles and projects. It’s helped me see the connective thread between my day job as a project manager and my entrepreneurial aspirations. Every client interaction, every problem solved, is preparing me for the future I’m building.
Overcoming Challenges and Staying on Track
Let’s be real: creating and sticking to a life vision isn’t always smooth sailing. There will be days when your motivation wanes, when the gap between your current reality and your vision seems insurmountable. Here are some strategies I’ve found helpful:
- Celebrate small wins: Acknowledge every step forward, no matter how small. Completed a task towards your goal? Celebrate it. These small victories build momentum.
- Find an accountability partner: Share your vision with someone you trust. Regular check-ins can keep you motivated and on track.
- Be flexible: Your vision isn’t set in stone. As you grow and change, allow your vision to evolve too. Regular reviews (I do mine quarterly) help ensure your vision still aligns with your values and aspirations.
- Embrace setbacks as learning opportunities: When things don’t go as planned, resist the urge to see it as a failure. Instead, ask yourself, “What can I learn from this?”
- Visualize success: Regularly take time to vividly imagine yourself living your vision. This mental rehearsal can boost motivation and help you stay focused on your goals.
Your Turn to Be the Hero
Creating a vision for your life isn’t about locking yourself into a rigid plan. It’s about giving yourself permission to dream big, and then creating a roadmap to get there. The HOAM framework offers a structured way to do just that.
So, I challenge you: take some time this week to start crafting your life vision. Write that obituary, craft your story summary, and start sketching out your future. You might be surprised at the clarity and motivation it brings.
The course on Business Made Simple is well worth the investment for a more detailed guide throughout the process. It also gives you access to a downloadable workbook and PDFs for all the parts of the process. You also get access to several other courses on building a business.
(I’m no affiliated with Business Made Simple, this is just a pure recommendation for something that has been helping me a lot).
Remember, every hero’s journey starts with a single step. What will yours be?
As you embark on this journey, keep in mind that the goal isn’t perfection. It’s progress. It’s about waking up each day with a clearer sense of purpose, making decisions that align with your values, and slowly but surely building the life you envision.
In my own journey, adopting this approach has brought a new level of intentionality to both my corporate work and my entrepreneurial pursuits. It’s helped me see how these different aspects of my life are not competing forces, but complementary paths all leading towards my ultimate vision.
So, are you ready to become the hero of your own story? The pen is in your hand. It’s time to start writing.