All people must face, at some point in their lives, situations that pose an adaptive challenge. Such moments may seem fragmented, separated by the interlude of everyday life.

However, a more detailed look shows us the invisible ties that hold them together in a broad and congruent picture, which is the very experience of being in the world.
This tacit relationship gives meaning to the personal project that each of us draws up for our own existence, as a thread that mobilizes our efforts and gives each act a transcendent value.

In this article we will talk about what the life project is , understanding it as the flexible script that each person plans for the time they have, and that results in the congruence between what one is and what one does.

What is a life project

A life project can be defined as a fundamental plan for existence . In its elaboration, a series of variables must be considered, such as needs or objectives, which may or may not coincide with the expectations that the environment has placed on us. A life project is a work in permanent construction that follows a certain continuity, but adapted to the situation of each moment.

Life projects mobilize action and position it in a particular direction based on meaningful goals, integrating values with legitimate personal aspirations. It stands as a process that does not adhere to a static sequence, but extends over the years and harbours a clear intention or purpose. It is a path that is full of satisfaction, but which also allows the possibility of stumbling.

Why a life project is important

A life project is essential, in the first place, because it is aimed at one of the most elementary needs of human beings: self-realization . This process prioritizes what is important before what is accessory, identifying the decisions that give meaning to the way in which one lives. This distinction is carried out in the context of a clear plan of action, which dilutes the ambiguity to which the general convulsion of the environment exposes us.

Life projects also contribute to identity building, since a person is largely what he or she spends time on (his or her actions). Through this analysis we can determine what actions are congruent with a deeper sense of who we are, rather than being erratically involved in a myriad of activities that have no connection to our values or needs.

Likewise, life projects enhance the so-called intrinsic motivation , which keeps our efforts apart from external incentives (economic, social or other). Since it allows us to determine which purposes are significant for us in the long term, we are much less likely to give in to boredom when obstacles arise that prevent or hinder their immediate achievement.

Finally, the life project allows us to equip ourselves with greater self-knowledge, since its design implies an attentive exploration of the how and why. This search, which has an important introspective component, often goes unnoticed by people who get involved in an overflowing accumulation of actions that alienate them from themselves. Viktor Frankl labeled the discomfort that arises in this circumstance as noogenetic depression, that is, emotional distress in the face of the loss of meaning.

Next we will delve into the basic aspects on which a life project should be based.

What are its fundamental aspects

We propose five fundamental elements for the design of a life project, the analysis of which must be carried out in parallel: reality, needs, objectives, values and application. All of them are interconnected, and should not be understood as independent realities.

1. What is my reality right now?

Although the coordinates of the life project may suggest that it is located somewhere in the future, the truth is that it must be sustained in the reality of the present as it is. This reality is the foundation from which all its basic dimensions must be considered . Otherwise, we may get lost before the incompatibility between what we want to achieve and the objective framework in which we find ourselves.

One of the characteristics of life is that it is subject to incessant, sometimes unpredictable changes, so it is not logical to think that a plan of action can always be applied in the same way as it was originally conceived. Physical resources, the people who accompany us, and even what we are in our inner selves, are subject to the perennial flow in which all things are swayed. Change is therefore the only constant.

Our personal life project must be indissolubly connected to the moment before which it unfolds, assuming nuances over time but always maintaining its essence. This purpose must be a part of our identity, and just as it varies without us losing sight of who we really are, so must our purpose. It is flexible, but resistant. Despite the ups and downs of change, it will always make sense.

2. What are my needs?

Identifying one’s own needs is a difficult process , because we have often come to confuse them with what are really desires. Although it may seem that the difference between one and the other is only a grammatical issue, the failure to comply with each of them entails different consequences: if a need is not satisfied we fall into despair, while if a desire is prevented the emotion will be more easily manageable (annoyance, for example).

The most basic needs of human beings are physiological and those that provide us with security, as both are essential for survival. From this point we can find those of affiliation, through which we strengthen ties with people who allow us to find a social space for development. Finally, at the very top of the pyramid that Maslow himself conceived, rise those that are unique to our species: satisfaction and self-realization (both linked to an adequate life plan).

Detecting needs means recognizing what is really necessary to satisfy any of these dimensions, otherwise it would only be a desire. The ability to discriminate between the two is key, as it avoids introducing illusory goals for our lives, which take up too much time and do not produce satisfaction.

3. What are my goals?

An objective is a goal that we consider to be personally important, according to the current situation and the perceived needs . It is common that objectives are not defined in a precise way, so that desirable results are projected but the actions that will facilitate their achievement (or the tools that will be provided) are unknown. Clearly identifying what we want to achieve is the first step in acting accordingly.

Another problem we may encounter is the construction of too large objectives, which will require excessive time or effort, thus assuming a high risk of giving in to our attempt to achieve them. The most effective thing in these cases is to break down the objective into steps that are achievable in the short term; so that each advance brings us closer to the ultimate goal that we have in mind, and so that we get periodic reinforcements and a greater sense of self-efficacy (the belief that I am capable of achieving it).

4. What are my values?

Values constitute the positioning that a person assumes on key aspects of his or her life , and whose weight is much greater than that which can be attributed to opinion. Values are intertwined in many areas of everyday life, and are one of the most basic reasons why people assume a solid and lasting commitment. Thus, an analysis of our deepest convictions will make it possible to outline a plan for life that is consistent with them, which will bring about a sense of congruence.

When people do something that goes against their values, there is a cognitive dissonance: a difficult confrontation between what we consider right and the way we act, which can lead to guilt and distress. It is not uncommon for people who act in opposition to their values to feel really bad about it, leading to a sense of loss in the medium and long term.

This is usually due to the assumption of values that are not really ours, nor do we experience them as if they were, but have been imposed by others during our individual development. In this case, it is possible that the direction of our life meets the demands of the social environment, while ours take a painful back seat. It is not easy to detect this circumstance, which is often experienced as a kind of existential void.

5. How do I proceed?

The moment all the preceding steps are clarified, the person is in a better position to draw up a suitable life plan, which must have the following fundamental characteristics: be respectful of the current state of affairs, meet real needs, be composed of attainable achievements and coincide with our values. With all this, we will be willing not only to design it, but also to implement it.

Any plan of life is made up of small things , whose cumulative effect is that which channels it towards the great deeds, which are seen behind the line of the horizon as a resolvable promise. It is important to persist in our efforts and to be flexible in the face of changes that arise, since a project of this magnitude is subject to the evolution of the needs of each stage of the life cycle.

Finally, it is also important to learn to give up. Life is subject to encounters, re-encounters and losses; and all of them must be integrated into the pentagram on which it runs. Renouncing that which hurts us, or which prevents us from moving forward, can be as difficult as finding that which makes us happy.

Bibliographic references:

  • Barbosa-Martínez, R., Ramírez-Aranda, J.M., Salazar, B. and Benavides-Torres, R. (2017). Life Project for Adolescents: A Concept Analysis. International Journal of Social Science Studies, 4(5), 31-37.
  • Rojas, A. and Suárez, A. (2017). Life Project: Perceptions and Experiences Associated with the Welfare Students in Virtual Mode. Procedia, Social and Behavioral Sciences, 237(21), 150-156.