Rich Harris turns 30 years of life planning into a book

Rich Harris, a former commercial real estate executive in Chapel Hill, has published Life Plan: Living by Design, Not Default, a guide built on nearly three decades of annual written life planning. The book aims to help readers replace autopilot decisions with more intentional choices about time, energy and priorities.

Why it matters: - Rich Harris is positioning life planning as a practical tool, not a motivational slogan. - The book targets a common problem: people invest heavily in career planning but rarely apply the same discipline to their whole lives. - The framework is designed to help readers align daily choices with values, which can affect work, relationships and long-term direction.

What happened: - Harris released Life Plan: Living by Design, Not Default on Sept. 29, 2026. - The book draws on a written life-planning practice Harris has completed every year since 1999. - Harris spent 30 years in commercial real estate before shifting to writing, consulting and entrepreneurship. - The author is based in Chapel Hill, N.C.

The details: - Harris said he often spends more than 100 pages on his annual life plan. - The process is meant to create time away from work and daily demands to review priorities, direction and use of time and energy. - The book combines behavioral science, personal stories, real-world examples and end-of-chapter "Thought to Action" exercises. - Harris says the goal is to help readers identify beliefs and patterns that shape decisions, clarify priorities and turn reflection into action. - The book argues that intentional living does not require abandoning a successful life or chasing an abstract life purpose. - Harris frames the work as periodic recalibration of the two most finite resources: time and energy. - The book is 232 pages long. - Whitefox Publishing is the publisher. - The paperback price is $20.00, and the ebook price is $6.99. - The paperback ISBN is 9781918661330. - The ebook ISBN is 9781918661347. - More information is available at LifePlan-RichHarris.com.

Between the lines: - Harris is translating a personal habit into a repeatable system for readers who want structure without a radical life overhaul. - The book’s emphasis on reflection and routine suggests the real shift is not dramatic reinvention, but more deliberate decision-making. - By grounding the message in neuroscience, psychology and decision-making, Harris is trying to give the concept more utility than conventional self-help.

What's next: - Harris is expected to promote the book through writing, speaking and consulting. - Readers who adopt the framework can use the annual planning model to reassess priorities as work and life circumstances change. - The book is likely to serve as the foundation for Harris’s broader focus on intentional living for individuals and organizations.

The bottom line: - Life Plan packages nearly 30 years of annual reflection into a guide for people who want to live more deliberately without turning their lives upside down.