Why Every CEO Needs to Follow This Critical Concept as They Plan for 2026

Most CEOs obsess over scaling their business, hitting revenue targets, expanding into new markets and driving efficiency. Yet many find that success becomes a trap: burnout, broken relationships and a life they never intended.

The solution? Start by designing your life first. This concept, Life by Design, which I learned from my friend Jack Daly, aligns perfectly with discovering your Freedom Point, the benchmark where your money works for you, not the other way around.

Related: The 3-Step Framework for Leaders to Lead with Confidence

Life by Default vs. Life by Design

Too many leaders live in Life by Default: reacting to daily crises, pursuing growth without clarity and measuring success by short-term results. The cost is high: blurred priorities, strained health and compromised relationships.

By contrast, Life by Design starts with your 25-year vision, covering health, family, impact and finances, and builds your business as its vehicle. I discovered this after hitting rock bottom in my 30s: I wrote a detailed vision of the life I wanted and anchored every business decision to it.

Almost two decades later, 80% of that vision is reality. When leadership and life align, scaling becomes sustainable.

The Freedom Point: A financial anchor

The Freedom Point is where your assets outside the business can sustain your lifestyle without you working for a salary. It’s a clear financial target using a simple formula:

1. Define your annual needs (e.g., $100K).
2. Multiply by your desired horizon (e.g., 33 years = $3.3M).
3. Subtract your net assets outside the business.

That difference becomes your scaling target: turning your business into a tool for freedom, not a treadmill. Tools like the Freedom Calculator help bring clarity to this vision.

Related: Ready to 10X Your Leadership? Start With This 3-Step System

Why these concepts must coexist

Life by Design provides purpose. The Freedom Point provides clarity.

Together, they prevent reactive leadership and replace it with intentional growth. Without them, CEOs scale without direction, while with them, businesses scale with purpose.

Practical steps to align business and life

• Define your 25-Year Vision. Write a clear, measurable personal vision and break it into 10-, 5- and 1-year milestones. Strategic planning is essential in business and life, too, as highlighted in business leaders’ guidance on the importance of long-term planning to avoid stagnation and maintain alignment².
• Build Life Systems as You Build Business Systems. Just as you set KPIs in the business, track health habits, family time and personal learning goals. Discipline liberates and leads to sustained growth.
• Calculate Your Freedom Point. Knowing your target financial independence turns scaling into a strategic journey rather than a sacrifice.
• Create a Personal Board. External accountability accelerates progress. CEOs benefit from advisory boards, and life goals deserve that too. Stephen J. Bronner emphasizes the value of advisory boards for business growth, and the same holds for your personal plan.
• Share Your Vision. Transparency builds commitment. When those around you understand why your goals matter, your vision becomes collective, not solitary.

The CEO’s trap and the exit strategy parallel

Many CEOs assume that working harder and longer will deliver fulfillment, but they often end up unfulfilled. A business grows, but the founder falters.

The companies that truly scale consciously plan with the end in mind. Just like building with an exit strategy from day one provides clarity and avoids being forced out on unfavorable terms, designing your life and defining your Freedom Point gives you freedom with control.

Related: How to Kick Off Any Strategic Initiative With Success

Call to action for the 2026 strategic plan

If you’re crafting your 2026 strategic roadmap, pause and decide: What will life be like in 25 years? How much wealth will you need to live without working?

Embrace Life by Design, write your vision, align your values and measure your progress.

Know your Freedom Point, define what “enough” means, and make your business serve your life.

And once your personal vision is clear, move to execution. Every company needs discipline to translate strategy into daily action. For 2026, here are five key elements to run your strategic plan effectively:

• Set annual goals and 3–5 key initiatives. Instead of scattering energy, focus on what truly moves the needle.
• Develop a quarterly execution plan. Break down annual goals into achievable 90-day sprints.
• Cascade the plan to all teams. Ensure alignment so every employee knows their role in achieving the bigger vision.
• Focus your meeting agenda. Include celebrating wins, using Start/Stop/Continue, reviewing the OPSP (One Page Strategic Plan), and evaluating winning moves — current and new.
• Establish accountability. Define goals, set priorities, assign success metrics and clarify responsibilities.

This structure ensures progress and ties your business execution directly to your life vision and financial freedom.

Final thought

Plans without purpose are wasted energy. Scaling without clarity breeds chaos. But when your life and business align, you don’t just build a company — you create freedom, legacy and authentic leadership.

As Jim Collins reminds us: “Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice.”

Make the choice. Build your life by design. Know your Freedom Point. And lead your company into 2026 with clarity, purpose and a roadmap that serves your business and your life.