Planning…what is it? Planning is preparing a sequence of action steps to achieve some specific goal.Planning is selecting priorities and results of (goals, objectives, etc.) and how those results will be achieved. typically includes identifying goals, objectives,as well as the methods,and resources needed to carry out your plan.
To achieve your goals of success in your business you must plan how to make it happen.
And planning helps to make things happen.
You can”t ‘do’ a goal . Instead you have to do the things that enable you to reach your goal – usually that’s several things,done in several steps over a set period of time.
A goal without a plan remains just a goal – many people have visions, intentions, ideas, dreams which never happen, because they are not planned.
And so they may become frustrated and give up. Just having a simple plan, beginning with a clear goal, and an outline of what will make your goal happen is really all you will need to start. Good plans tend to include:# A clearly defined aim or target.
# Linked steps That are relevant to reaching your goal(because you want to stay focused) – resources, actions, knowledge, etc
#The plan must be achievable within a set time.
* Monitor the execution of your plan and review it regularly. Ask yourself questions….like…. How much have I progressed towards my goal now? What new information have I gotten since implementing my plan? Are there steps that I need to add or remove? You can Use this information to adjust and optimize your plan. So that you are working effectively all the time.
A plan is like a map. When following a plan, you can always see how much you have progressed towards your project goal and how far you are from your destination. Knowing where you are is essential for making good decisions on where to go or what to do next.
One more reason why you need planning is something called the 80/20 Rule. It is well established that for unstructured activities 80 percent of the effort give less than 20 percent of the valuable outcome. You either spend much time on deciding what to do next, or you are taking many unnecessary, unfocused, and inefficient steps. So having a plan of action is crucial. You should Take time to write down a plan of action.
How to write an action plan
When writing an action plan to achieve a particular goal or outcome,there are a few steps you can take…. .
* Clarify your goal. Can you get a visual picture of the expected outcome? How can you see if you have reached your destination? What will make your goal measurable? What constraints do you have, like the limits on time, money, or other resources.
* Write a list of actions. Write down all actions you may need to take to achieve your goal. At this step focus on generating and writing as many different options and ideas as possible. Take a sheet of paper and write more and more ideas, just as they come to your mind.
* Analyze, prioritize, and prune. Look at your list of actions. What are the absolutely necessary and effective steps to achieve your goal? Mark these steps. After that, what action items can be dropped from the plan without significant consequences for the outcome. Cross those out.
* Organize your list into a plan. Decide on the order of your action steps. Start from looking at your marked key actions. For each action, what other steps should be completed before that action? Rearrange your actions and ideas into a sequence of ordered action steps. Finally, look at your plan once again. Are there any ways to simplify it even more?
Once you have identified your action steps and resources you can then prepare a schedule, set priorities and begin working your plan.A plan should be simple, clear, flexible and continuous.
Now you’re set to succeed!!
SRGM Coaching Consultant