I’m sure we all have a lot of goals that we want to achieve. We start the year with a long list of things we hope to accomplish and often finish the year with very few items crossed off as complete. So what can we do to make sure that we finish each year with a list we can be proud of? The key is to have a plan. It’s all good and well to say that we are going to lose weight, make more money, or find a job, but how much thought do we give to exactly how we’re going to accomplish these goals?
Without a plan, it’s easy to get discouraged when things don’t happen right away. You may want to lose weight, and when you step on the scale at the end of 30 days and you’re not any lighter, you get frustrated and want to give up. What would happen if you had established a plan prior to setting out to achieve any given goal? If you want a new job, what’s your plan? Are you going to take courses to make yourself more employable? Hire a career coach? Update the resume and put the word out to friends and colleagues? A plan provides you with a point of reference for when you get stuck, or wonder what you should do next.
Chopping up your goal into small, attainable bits is an important element in making your goal achievable. Instead of looking at losing 20 pounds, try a pound a week, and reducing your sugar intake and hitting the gym 3 times a week! When you break your goals down into the things you are going do for the week, or even just today, towards achieving your goals, you take one more step to making that goal a reality.
Putting a plan together is by no means a sexy notion. When you want your goals bad enough and you’re tired of not being able to achieve them, the time has come to stop spinning your wheels and be more definite about the actions you take. Having a plan puts you one step closer to making your goals a reality. It gives you something to work towardseach day, and well as something you can review at any time to measure your progress.
It’s said that a goal without a plan is simply a dream. If you want your dreams to become a reality, developing a plan to make it happen is the first step. Putting that plan into action is what is going to take it to levels that you’ve never reached before. Having a plan gives you purpose. When we have purpose we’re less likely to procrastinate. Once we find goals that have meaning and relevance for us and develop a plan to make it manifest, they sky is the limit! What are you planning to do next?
Plans can be for anything but without one it is very difficult to progress, you can plan your domestic day, your homework, your weekend chores, your vacation, your pampering weekend, anything benefits from a plan.
Take the pampering weekend plan, just note down the things you want to do;
- Arrange the venue
- Invite friends(s)
- Book tanning, facial, teeth whitening session at the venue, whatever you feel like
- Plan how to get there
- Plan pickup times
There you have a 5 point plan that will not only work but be great fun.