OK.
So you have set your sights on your most important goals…
But do you have a personal plan of action in place, so that you have a real chance to achieve them?
It has been said more than once that when we fail to plan, we plan to fail.
It’s true enough.
The first step in achieving any goal is to write it down, and make a plan before we start.
When it comes to the things we really want to do, we need to think about the whole process from beginning to end. Always start out with the end result in mind.
We think about what it is we want to do, decide what we are going to do, internalize it in our mind, and then do it.
So now that we have a concrete plan, we have to do something with it right?
It’s time.
We need to take action, and execute the plan.
The plan by itself will not get us to our goals. For example when it comes to health goals, things can go awry quite quickly when the plan is not in place.
We may start out eating salad and raw veggies because it seems like the right thing to do for our diet.
But if you are not a salad eater, consuming all that roughage gets old really fast.
Without a well researched eating plan, we won’t be sure what else we can eat to healthfully and eventually settle back into old habits, discouraged with the whole idea.
Result? Goal not achieved.
And your self image takes another negative hit. 🙁
Without a plan, anything is bound to happen, and usually does happen. Our best intentions can still lead to setbacks and possibly eventual failure.
A large goal such as losing over 100 pounds takes a solid plan that involves several smaller goals or milestones along the way to ensure success.
Milestones are actually minor goals within a major goal.
Achieving each one, leads to more confidence that the ultimate goal can be reached.
Milestones work well with large, long term goals.
They prevent discouragement and reduce relapses into old habits.
If relapses do occur, there is always the next milestone to look forward to.
And, these milestones can always be amended in the event of unforeseen events or urgent distractions that may present themselves.
We need these milestones along the way to celebrate, and to analyze, so we can adjust our behaviors accordingly.
Ok, so if that is true, where do we start with the plan?
Begin by reading. Research the subject. Google the topic. Ask successful people…
See how others successfully achieved their similar goals.
Chances are that many people want the same or similar things. Model their behaviors.
Get the specific knowledge you need. Knowledge is power and applied knowledge is the ultimate Power. Take that actionable knowledge and get to work.
Many great achievers were not fully prepared when they started out on their journeys, but they went out and got the information they needed and started from there.
They started out with a burning hot desire, and found their way from there.
For instance, if you want to lose weight, you must learn how food behaves in the body and what makes up the foods you eat.
We need to know how our diet and exercise affects us.
Research diet plans and foods, workout plans, and maybe even a personal trainer to coach or mentor you.
After learning what you need to know, put it into practice by writing down the smaller milestones and deadlines that will be achieved along the way.
Developing a solid plan reinforces in your mind that the goal is serious, has been accepted and thought through, and is what you ultimately want.
And as you develop our plan, you will also begin to realize if it is indeed what you want, or maybe not even a goal you want to pursue.
Better to find out now if the goal is not the right goal.
This can save you much future anguish.
No one wants to wake up one day and realize they have lost interest in a particular goal after so much hard work.
So . . . Set your goals, and plan carefully how you will achieve your goals.
Working with a well researched and prepared plan of action saves you much time and heartache.
The path to success can be quite time consuming and difficult if you just wing it.
Remember that the majority of people do not write their goals down, let alone plan how they will achieve them.
Just these two steps will put you well ahead of the average person right off.
And that’s a good feeling to start with. Setting goals and planning your strategy will save you huge savings in the actual time it takes to get to what you want.
Brian Tracy states that one hour of accurate thinking and planning will save you ten hours in the actual journey itself. He also advocates that you plan your day out the night before.
Do not eliminate these steps. Set your direction, plan what you will do to get there, and then get to work. Choose the most important task that will move you forward the most and work uninterrupted to it’s completion.
Simple right? Go for it!
.