How do you plan for success?
You have some goals, right? Goals are dreams with a date. Your success relies on your plan to achieve those goals. Well…one of the biggest hurdles to achieving your goals is the battle of action vs. inaction. It’s not that you’re slacking off – it’s just that you have so much on your plate, you’re busy; you don’t have time make your goals a reality.
However – you must plan for success. Goals aren’t achieved without action – so make the time before your dreams expire!
“Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination.” – Fitzhugh Dodson
Here are 3 quick tips on how to achieve your goals:
1) What’s your plan/strategy? It’s one thing to have a goal; it’s another to know exactly how you plan to achieve that goal. Write down your end goal. Write down the steps and actions you need to take, and by when, to achieve your goal. Work backwards and track your progress. You now have a strategy and a plan.
2) Murphy’s law – what can go wrong, will go wrong. Story of life sometimes, right? You know the expression… best laid plans. No matter how well you plan, life happens. Things occur that can derail achieving your goals. Don’t get discouraged. This is why you need a backup plan, a plan B (or if you’re an OCD Virgo like me a plan B and a plan C.) The military calls this contingency planning. Give some thought to possible things that might occur to which could push back or derail you achieving your goals – and then develop some ways in advance you can deal with those possible events. Sometimes a little course correction is needed to stay on track.
3) How to measure your success? To know when you have achieved success requires measuring your progress. If you’re going to achieve your goals you have to define what the end result looks like. Set milestones along the path to achieving your end goal. Celebrate hitting those milestones. Each milestone – or mini goal – you achieve puts you one step closer to success.
“Goals in writing are dreams with deadlines.” – Brian Tracy
The above steps are true for people and organizations. Taking action helps achieving both personal and professional goals. Success can’t happen without proper planning. So stop just thinking about your goals and plan for how you’re going to achieve them – before they hit their expiration date.
About Scott Span, MSOD: is President of Tolero Solutions an Organizational Improvement & Strategy consulting firm. He helps clients to facilitate sustainable growth by developing people and organizations to be more responsive, focused, productive and profitable.
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