Timeline creation

Looking back to look forward

The resource was adapted from Leader Breakthru and Dr. J. Robert Clinton.

Materials you need

To create a physical timeline, you need:

  • Presentation Board

    • cut in half, about 14”x22" finished size

  • Smallest sticky notes

    • 1 1/2" x 2"—4 different colors

To create a digital timeline:

  • www.miro.com — “Brainwriting option”

  • Or any other cloud website with a sticky note option

Step one - Brainstorming

Use the “Life Story Exercise”(PDF) below to brainstorm impactful key people, events, and circumstances that have shaped your life up to this point.

Feel free to watch our instructional video for more information

  • People

    People who influenced and shaped your life:

    Friends, family, classmates, work associates, peers, mentors, spouse, teachers, club friends and neighbors, etc.

  • Events

    Events that have impacted your life:

    Graduation, awards, projects, jobs, changes in the community, job loss, defining moments, etc.

  • Circumstances

    Significant circumstances that have affected your life direction:

    Where you lived, job demands of your parents, early childhood experiences, places you lived, schools you attended, activities you were involved in, moving, etc.

Step two - Transfer to sticky notes (Yellow & Pink)

  1. Using what you’ve written on the “Life Story Exercise” worksheet, transfer the positive people, events, and circumstances to a yellow sticky note. Make sure there only 1 item is written on each sticky note

  2. Transfer the Negative people, events, and circumstances to a pink sticky note. Make sure there only 1 item is written on each sticky note

  3. Place the note on the table where you work, and write another.

  • Tips for the physical timeline: wait to place post-it notes on the poster board.

  • You should aim to have a total number of 40-60 notes.

Step three - organizing your sticky notes chronologically

Get your blank poster board. Let’s organize both yellow and pink notes chronologically.

  1. Leave a space to fit one Post-it note space at the top and the bottom for later.

  2. Organize your sticky notes chronologically, integrating the yellow and pink colors.

  3. Start on the top left with your earliest sticky note. Add notes going down, then move over to the right.

  4. Your timeline should move from top to bottom and left to right across the board. You have the entire poster board to use.

Step four - identify chapters in your story (Blue)

  1. As you look at the sticky notes now assembled on your poster board, identify natural breaks of chapters of your life.

  2. You should have identified at least 4 to 6 chapters from Life Story PDF.

  3. Using blue sticky notes, write your chapter title (Your chapter titles should reflect your thoughts on your life during those times. Choose titles that show something of yourself.

  • Tips

    Some have used movie titles, hobbies, or sports. The key is to choose titles that mean something to you.

Step five - identify “turning points”(X)

  1. Identify 6 to 8 key turning points on your timeline.

    • A turning point: a life-changing event or circumstance that is a defining moment in your life where

      • life changed for the good or bad

      • someone intervened

      • a decision was made

      • you moved in a new direction

  2. Mark the corresponding sticky notes with an “X” as shown in the illustration

  • Tips:

    Why turning points? God works in significant ways and teaches important lessons during these moments. Spend a few moments reflecting on each of those events. Describe the event, process what occurred, and reflect on why it is important.

Step six - Write lessons from your story (Green)

  1. Relook at each of your sticky notes and let’s identify lessons you’ve learned. To help you reflect, consider the questions below.

    • What was God trying to teach me during this turning point/ chapter?

    • What new insights/convictions do I have because of this?

    • What have I learned about

      • Who I am and my uniqueness

      • Character traits I learned to value

      • Relationships - how I view relationships, and their impact

      • Who God is to me or how I view God

  2. Write each lesson on a green sticky note and place it underneath the corresponding turning point or chapter. You may have multiple lessons.

  3. Below shows examples of how you can extract lessons from turning points.

Final thought

Now you are done!

We recommend you update your sticky notes periodically. One of the keys to staying on track with Christ is the ability to maintain perspective on your growth and development as a Christ-follower.

The sticky note timeline is also a great tool to use with a team or small group.

You’ve done the hard work 

To get the most out of your timeline, consider coaching to deepen and widen your insights