Unboxing the Hero on a Mission Planner: Not Quite What I Expected

📦 Initial Impressions

Today, I want to talk about the Hero on a Mission planner, which, despite its marketing, isn't a digital planner or an app. The advertisements and website showcase an iPad that makes it seem like an app, but it's just a website. I was initially fooled by this and want to clarify so no one else gets tricked. Let's dive into what this planner is really about and why you might or might not want it.

📚 About Donald Miller

First, let's discuss the man behind the planner, Donald Miller. He's the founder of StoryBrand, a company that helps businesses with their brand messaging. Although I haven't attended his $1,000 workshop, I have read his StoryBrand book and found it incredibly helpful for writing website copy. The book comes with a comprehensive 59-page PDF that asks insightful questions to refine your brand message. For anyone considering writing a website, I highly recommend this resource.

📖 The Book and the Planner

The Hero on a Mission planner comes as a companion to Miller's book of the same name. When you purchase the book, you get directed to download a free planner. However, this free planner is just a printable PDF, not an app. The PDF includes 15 pages, but it's essentially three core pages repeated with slight variations.

📄 What’s Inside the Printable

The printable planner includes:

• Eulogy Page

• Vision Worksheets

• Goal Setting Worksheet

• Daily Planner

The eulogy page is just a blank sheet. The vision worksheets ask questions about your career, health, family, and friends over a 10-year, 5-year, and 1-year span. The goal-setting worksheet focuses on setting three main goals. The daily planner includes sections for morning rituals, three main tasks, secondary tasks, and appointments.

💻 The Online "App"

The online version of the planner is not an app but a website. You log in and input your information, which the site saves for you. The website mimics the printable planner's structure, including the eulogy page, vision worksheets, goal setting, and daily planner. However, it's not interactive like a true app. It doesn't send reminders or offer community features.

💸 Pricing

The online planner costs $10 per month or $100 per year. Given that it's just a static website, I find this pricing steep. You can accomplish the same tasks with a free PDF or even a basic notebook.

🔍 Comparison with Other Planners

Comparing this to other planners, the Hero on a Mission planner falls short. For instance, the Silk and Sonder app offers daily messages, community engagement, and various interactive features. In contrast, the Hero on a Mission planner is merely a static set of pages, whether online or printable.

👍 Pros and Cons

Pros

• Companion to the book

• Helps synthesize book learnings

• Simple layout

Cons

• Not a true app

• High cost for limited features

• Lacks interactivity

🤔 Who Is It For?

This planner might be useful for fans of Donald Miller who want to delve deeper into his teachings. If you enjoy his morning ritual and want a structured way to follow it, this planner could be beneficial. However, if you're looking for an interactive, feature-rich planner, this isn't it.

💡 Final Thoughts

Overall, I find the Hero on a Mission planner underwhelming. It's a good companion to the book but doesn't offer much beyond that. The high cost for a static website is hard to justify, especially when better options are available. If you're a big fan of Donald Miller, you might find value in it. Otherwise, I'd recommend looking elsewhere.

📚 Create Your Own Planner

If you're interested in making your own planner, I offer a free course called Planner 101. It covers everything you need to create a printable or digital planner. While I don't teach how to make an interactive app, this course will help you get started with the basics.

I hope this review helps you make an informed decision. Have a wonderful, fabulous, amazing, and awesome day!