What is a life planner? It's any tool which helps you plan your life, ranging from software, a day planner, or even an individual such as a life coach who can advise and help you in this area.  So what is "life planning"?  It's simply living your life according to some sort of plan, not just letting life happen to you.  It's no different than building a house, you will not be successful if you just starting building and hope things turn out well.  You need an architect to plan things so that there is a clear vision of what you want in the end, that everything fits together, and you know what materials and work will be involved.

Is life planning the same as goal planning?  It really depends on how you do goal planning, but in most cases the answer is no.  Typically, goal planning is (and should be) oriented towards a very specific goal.  A life plan is larger, and should encompass all the important goals in your life. 

Life planning can also be more focused, such as creating a financial life plan.  This has great value because money can be so important to so many other life goals, so integrating financial planning with life planning makes a lot of sense, especally if your life plan includes costly things like a dream home.  Other elements to consider in a life plan include career, health, travel, family, relationships, hobbies, leisure time, and spirituality.  And don't forget your dreams, too many people give up on their dreams and then regret it later in life.

Just like when building a home, once you have the architecture developed, you have to deal with many detailed tasks, and ensure you track progress on those tasks.  So an effective life planner must include both the high level life goals, but also have a means of linking them to the many specific tasks and activities.  So yes, even simple "to do lists" can be part of a life planner.

For some, getting help from someone else can help.  There are many trained "life coaches" available.  Don't go with the first one you find, give several a trial run and then choose one that is a fit for you.  Most will give you an initial low cost or free session in order to win your business.  Consider also whether you want someone local that will meet you face to face, or are willing to work over the phone and e-mail with someone more distant.  Before choosing a coach, consider if you are looking for particular skills sets that you want to find in a coach.  For some, financial planning may be critical, for others it may be career. 

I hope you have found this overview helpful, below are some resources to explore on this topic: 

- Life Coaching

- Life Planning Software

- Goal Setting Software