Planning Principles

1. Clearly defined objective. (The end result.)
2. Answers the 5 W’s (Who, what, where, why, when.)
3. Lays out the action steps to getting there in a prioritized “to do” list. (How.)

Now that you have clearly identified your goals and prioritized them, understood the importance and value of planning, let’s gather information and organize it into a plan of action or activities. As you can see goal setting is much more than having a vague vision in your head of what you want. Completing your plans will give tangible form to the goal and that’s how you transform your dream into reality. That’s goal setting. This planner will not only help you to create the most well-defined and planned approach to achieving your goals but it will also help you to balance and schedule your time, organize your work space, understand the fundamentals of efficiency and effectiveness, make clear firm decisions that build an unshakable belief system that can withstand any of life’s challenges.

From here, we are going to work with your A) 1 goal and walk you through a planning process that you can apply to the rest of your top 3 goals or all the goals you have written if you so desire. If you are new to goal setting then it is my recommendation that you develop plans and work on your top three goals until achieved or when you gain experience and develop habits with your time to effectively tackle several goals at a time. Work on as many goals as you can comfortably fit into your calendar. It will likely take a couple of weeks of playing with the calendar I describe in next section and the allocation of time until you can set a comfortable routine. At the time of writing this I was proactive on A1-A6 goals throughout a one week period. A1, A2  & A3 took up 80% of my time. Master the skills taught on task & time management and you would be surprised at what you can accomplish.

 

Gathering Information for the Plan

• Clearly define the goal.
• Identify the obstacles.
• Prioritize the obstacles.
• Write a solution to the obstacles.
• List information, people, skills you need to acquire.
• Answer all questions.
• Set a deadline.
• Create an organized plan of action.
• Manage tasks.

 

Write a Clear Definition
Being specific means being clear. The clearer the goal is the easier it is to create a plan and find the resources. It is often taught that when you can describe a goal on that back of a business card then you are clear what it is that you want. It may be a large goal like a house that has a list of details that doesn’t fit on a business card, fine. The idea is to be clear and concise so that a ten year old boy could understand it.

 

Identify Obstacles
Make a list of obstacles that stand between you and your goal. Obstacles may include tangible things like money or equipment but they may also be mental obstacles like lack of discipline or even ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) or some other physical or mental disability.

Ask yourself what are your common avoidance behaviors. These are usually an automatic reaction to an experience that formed a limiting belief. They are our fears based on past experiences that we continue to support and let hold us back. Make note of them and why you think that is. Get to the root and dispel that belief which may be an action you need to take or awareness needed to be developed.

 

Prioritize the Obstacles
This step will be helpful as we create a plan and manage our time accordingly. Prioritize just as we did for the goal category exercises. Use 1 for the biggest obstacle, 2 for the next and so on down the list.

 

Write a Solution for each Obstacle

 

Identify the People, Information and Skills Needed
People: Here you want to think through and list the people that can give you good feedback. Find people who have expertise in the area that your goal relates to and get counsel regarding the goal. *Word of caution: Don’t seek counsel from people you do not truly admire or respect for their successes in life or in this subject. The general rule of thumb is learn from the successful and experienced.

People and organizations;

Information:  Create a clear list of any questions you might have in achieving your goal, especially the answer to overcoming your obstacles. Here is a great question to ask and answer for yourself. “What do I need to know to make this goal a reality? or What don’t I know that I need to know?” If you can’t answer this question with confidence then you may have to ask someone from the above list. Begin to gather and list books, tapes and other data you can get to begin the process of gaining knowledge and answering your questions.

Skills: List courses and workshops you could take. List different ways of gaining new knowledge.  Correspondence, evening classes, work shops, seminars, etc. What knowledge could you apply that would bring you closer to your goal? What programs, training will add to your skills.

 

Set a Deadline
Deadlines can be very powerful tools, especially when you have some accountability and people are counting on you. We see how the deadline of April in regards to filing taxes moves people to action so we  will want to do a similar thing here. If it is an ongoing goal like personal development you will still want to set a date to achieve a particular level of progress or state of being. This is quite straightforward: just write a date that you think you would achieve the goal you have defined. This date may change as you create plans to reach your goals and find that it is much more involved than you thought or that it is going to be easier than you thought and you can adjust the date accordingly. Don’t underestimate how useful setting deadlines can be.

“I believe life is constantly testing us for our level of commitment, and life’s greatest rewards are reserved for those who demonstrate a never-ending commitment to act until they achieve. This level of resolve can move mountains, but it must be constant and consistent. As simplistic as this may sound, it is still the common denominator separating those who live their dreams from those who live in regret”
Anthony Robbins