Plans, Preparation, Action and Progress!
You have a goal in mind; something you want to achieve. So you do what you feel is logical:
1. Make a plan on how to get there.
Or do you? Yes, some people decide they want something yet don't make a plan on how they'll get there. Seems kind of strange, but it does happen.
Now, it's a known fact that not all plans turn out as anticipated. The solution? Make a Plan A, B, C – or as many as you can come up with. After all, you won't know how many you'll use to get to your goal.
2. Make all the preparations to reach your target.
That one statement can cover a lot of ground. It encompasses everything from collecting and organizing the tools and resources to reach your goal to reviewing your plans and clarifying your path forward.
A great way to make sure you've covered all your bases is to make a “checklist” of all the things you need to do to prepare for your journey to reaching your goal. That way you can be sure you haven't missed anything, and it may even tweak your mind on things you never thought of to start with.
3. Use your plans and preparation to take action!
You can make all the plans and prepare all you want… if you don't take action, nothing will happen. Your goal will remain as a dream or a few words written on a page. Again, it's a great idea to track your action steps to keep you moving in the right direction… noticing where you need to adjust to get closer to your goal (not farther away).
And of course action leads to…
4. Progress!
But does it? Sometimes yes and sometimes no… and sometimes you progress, but not in the direction you had planned.
Once again, track it. Track your progress. Find a way to determine where you are, what you have done, and where you are at on your journey.
It may seem to you that this is way too “logical” and doesn't leave any room for creativity and “going with the flow” of things. Not so. Yes, it's great to plan, prepare, check that you've thought of everything and then track how well you're doing… but corrections and adjustments are a part of this process as well.
Keep in touch with YOU throughout this journey, make sure it feels right and is aligned with who you are. Plans can be altered, next steps can change… in fact they will! Life and our plans are not cast in stone, change is a constant.
So plan, prepare, take action and watch your progress… it's a wonderful feeling to see how far you can go in very little time. Surprise yourself… be your own biggest inspiration and motivation to achieve your goals.
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