“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” 

— Benjamin Franklin

 

This quote by Benjamin Franklin is one of my favorites because I love to plan everything. I know planning is not a sexy subject. However, the importance of planning in interior design and your personal life should not be underestimated. In fact, nothing is more important in determining your success (whether on a single design installation or a lifetime of achievement) than a well-thought-out plan. 

 

On the surface, interior design work appears to be all about aesthetics. However, that is just the finished product. The real job of a designer is to plan. We plan the function of the space, the schedule for contractors, and the dates of deliveries. Without our planning, nothing would get done. 

 

My work has taught me the results a good plan can yield. 

To Plan Something, You Have to Want It

Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning.

— Gloria Steinem

 

Before you can create a plan, you need a clear vision. More importantly, you have to want the end result. After all, it is a lot of work to draft a plan and put it into action. The dream and desire will help push you forward. 

 

Just how important is that initial desire? Let’s look at Neil Simon’s Chapter Two play, which follows the new relationship of Jennie and George in the 70s, a time when the standard for relationship dynamics was changing. While the surface explores themes of love and understanding, there is a strong argument for the role of planning in successful relationships and lives. 

 

Jennie delivers a monologue, “There’s no harm in wanting it, George, because there’s not a hell of a chance we’re going to get it all anyhow, but if you don’t want it, you have even less of a chance than that.”

 

I love this line from the play. If we want something in our lives, whether it’s more money, a better job, a healthier relationship, or a more fulfilling life, the first step to achieving it is recognizing that desire.  While it is important fuel for the goal, if you don’t have a plan of action, you will never make it beyond the dream. 

 

After working with beautiful art and antiques at Christie’s in my early career, I realized that I wanted to become an interior designer. Recognizing that desire was just the first step of a plan that led me to attend design school, apply for roles at NYC firms, meet my mentors, and go on to build my own design business. If I hadn’t really wanted this, it would have been nearly impossible to make it through all the steps it took to get here. 

 

So before you start, make sure your plan is worth acting on. 

Why is Planning Important? 

Resources are limited. No one has all the money, time, or choices in the world, which makes planning all the more important. To make a long-term goal a reality, it takes proper allocations of every resource you have at your disposal. 

 

Planning is crucial because it provides us with goals, steps to achieve them, and considerations for navigating through the inevitable obstacles. In the case of a design project, planning provides floor plans to lay out the space, mood boards to guide the selection of materials, and schedules to manage the timeline for completion. It’s not enough to have the final vision in your head, because that won’t do a thing to help you on installation day when you’re juggling the timing of touch-up painters alongside furniture deliveries. 

Sometimes it takes years to carry out a plan, which is why setting goals and structure is so important to keep you on course. In building my expertise in interior design, for example, I had to spend a few years working jobs that took up all my time, so I could gain experience and develop a career that now allows me to spend my time as I please. 

A well-thought-out plan can help you stay organized, focused, and on track, ultimately increasing your chances of success. 

 

How to Make a Plan

Sitting down to plan is the hardest part for folks. It starts with planning what you want your day to feel like, taking into account the time you have to work on the goals you want to accomplish and fitting that in alongside your daily duties and recreation. Having a sense of how long each task will take is super important in creating a schedule. 

 

My kids are in high school and now college. Managing school papers is a good example. When we have a paper due in two weeks, we can structure a plan to start early, dedicate time to research, create an outline, and write for a few hours each day. This gives us time to enjoy our afterschool activities, read, and generally have a nice two weeks and a good time with a good paper. If we don’t plan, we will probably end up cramming the entire paper the night before, making ourselves miserable and falling short of the grade we wanted.

Planning takes time. It takes practice. It sounds dull, but it’s an essential step in giving us time for fun between the hard work.  

The Consequences of Failing to Plan

If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. It’s as simple as that. 

 

Planning in your work, personal life, and finances makes all the difference in how things unfold. If you don’t make a plan for what you want to achieve, you are more likely to fail, turn back at the first obstacle, or never get started to begin with. There are so many things in life we can’t control. When it comes to the things we can, why wouldn’t you want to set yourself up for success?  

A Plan’s Boundaries Create Freedom 

Some people resist the boundaries of a plan, claiming they need the space to be a free spirit and explore all possible avenues to their dream. In my experience, the boundaries of a plan create freedom and always yield a better result. 

A schedule gives me the freedom to spend my time as I’d like. A budget gives me the freedom to purchase what I want. By creating a plan, I can make sure I have the experiences I want in my life, like a simple afternoon coffee with friends or a trip abroad. 

 

Why leave things this important up to chance? 

 

What Does a Successful Plan Look Like? 

You determine what makes a plan successful. For example, the installation day plans of an interior designer vs. an art consultant will look very different because they have different goals. The designer will focus on ensuring that the walls are ready for art to be hung and that the art is properly placed in the room. The art consultant will focus on packing and timing, with the ultimate goal of a safe delivery. 

 

For me, success means feeling peaceful and content with my life. When I’m working on a design or personal project, my goal is to have peace of mind. I want to be in control of every day, making decisions about what I choose to spend my time on and what takes priority. 

 

Each day makes up a life, and I want each to count. 

When Can You Ditch the Plan? 

I know planning is dull. It is much more fun to throw caution to the wind. But a well-formed plan does allow us to do just that. By planning what really matters, we can create the resources (and save time) we need to enjoy more fun and spontaneous moments. Having a plan or two working for us gives us those days when we can toss aside the schedule and enjoy the life we’ve created. 

 

Is there something you want? Well, start planning.