Without a Plan, You?re Doomed to Failure

"My job is an endless series of deadlines, I am constantly putting out fires" You've probably heard talk like that a time or two. You may sound like that yourself on occasion.

Are you a planner or a "firefighter"? Of course you know that real firefighters plan more than most of us do - to be ready to save lives and property when the emergency occurs. Not so for those of us who just play it by ear and hope that everything will turn out okay.

If you want to be a failure, then don't bother to plan; avoid any phrase, document, or discussion with the word "plan" in it. You see, planning is only a habit of the really successful, so if you want to steer clear of that lot, no planning is the guaranteed modus operandi.

A major reason we don't plan is that we have to deal with the future, and the future forces us to ask questions about what might or could be - as opposed to what was and what is. Because the future is unclear, many believe that planning for it is little more than guessing about the unknown.

Life's greatest challenge is making a plan for what we would love to do at some time in the future. We know we need a plan. But we don't know how to get started. Here's a way you might try:

1. Plan backwards.

Start with the desired outcome or result. Take a period of time, say a year. Take a goal, and divide the year by the goal to end up with segments of the goal. So you have twelve months to achieve the goal. You break the goal down into segments of "next steps", and you break the year into months or weeks. Allocate a period of time for completion of each step, working backwards from the final step. Let's say you want to publish your book in a year (Not impossible ? some writers can finish a book in a couple of months or less). Twelve months from now, write, "First printing of (Title) delivered" You have the goal, the published book, and you have the time, twelve months. Now carve up the goal.

2. Take small steps toward big results.

What needs to happen before the book is published? Make a list. Just brainstorm with yourself or a friend on all the things you know or think have to be done. Write them down, as you think of them - in no particular order. Then put them in the order in which you believe they need to be done. For instance, proof reading will need to be completed before the final printing; getting the book copyrighted will come after editing, and so on. Find out what time it will take for each step and allocate that in the plan.

Of course the major task is writing the book and you should put a target number of words or pages to be completed each month, each week - or even each day, if you can commit to more than one day a week.

3. Ask for help

Plans change for all kinds of reasons. A resource you thought you had may not be available any more, or you have personal or business problems that you didn't expect. These things will inevitably throw you off balance, but keep your goal firmly in front of you and you will maintain focus. Ask those who have been there on the same journey or project for help. Get on the Internet for tips on writing, planning, goal achieving, etc. There are so many resources out there available to us that there is no excuse today to not have a plan to reach your goal and fulfill your dream.

John Madden is an international speaker, trainer, and author of "Leap, Don't Sleep" (How to get different results by doing something different). He helps businesses and individuals become more profitable through customer service training, changing present results, networking for profit, coaching skills for managers, stress management through humor, time management, and interpersonal skills. You can reach him at 1-800-301-2924, email john@LeapDontSleep.com; web site: http://www.LeapDontSleep.com

---

Clutter Campaign - Select Your Tools

Have nothing in your houses that you do not know... Read More

Can Someone Step Into Your Job Or Role And Function Effectively?

Working for one of the top Marketers online (David Ledoux)... Read More

Keep, Get Rid Of, Or Not Sure?

Cleaning out can seem overwhelming -- especially if it's been... Read More

Making Space - Letting Go of Clutter

To make room for new things to come into you... Read More

Time for a Clean Out

Time has flown. It's been six months since you came... Read More

Compartmentalize

The word "compartmentalize" means to separate into distinct parts. I... Read More

Clutter Campaign - Commit Your Time

Decide When And Where To StartDecide when and where to... Read More

10 Tips for a More Organized Morning

1. Teach your children to use an alarm clock or... Read More

10 Tips on Color Coding Your Paper: From Chaos to Coherence

Color-There Is No SubstituteIn anatomical illustrations you see the brain's... Read More

10 Easy Maintenance Tips vs Piling on the Chaos

Whether you are in your own business or an employee... Read More

Getting Things Done: A Guide To Next-Action Lists

Getting Things Done (GTD), is a productivity methodology designed by... Read More

Organize (and Decorate) Your Home on a Budget with Baskets

What's an item that can help you organize every room... Read More

The Clutter Campaign - Design Your Vision

I like a room you can dance in the middle... Read More

Control Your Childrens Clutter!!

Ever feel overwhelmed by all the papers, notices, artwork, and... Read More

Saving Memories Without Losing Your Mind

The summer is flying by for Cindy and her family.... Read More

3 Simple Filing Guidelines

One of the most basic ways to find papers when... Read More

Six ADD Tips for Organizing Everyday Things

Life with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) can be a constant... Read More

Escaping The Clutter Trap? - 5 Steps For Increasing Productivity And Decreasing Stress

? Do you feel overwhelmed by all the "stuff" in... Read More

Are You A Collector?

Collections are the outward manifestation of a deeply-felt principle or... Read More

Too Many Unfinished Projects? 7 Time Management Strategies to Move Stalled Projects to Finish Line

Q. I have several projects going at once -- but... Read More

Organized Living in a Disorganized World

We are bombarded with so many factors that perpetuate disorganization.... Read More

10 Organizing Tips for Road Warrior Parents

Parenting is always a challenge, but particularly so if your... Read More

Are You Stuck In The Clutter Trap?

You arrived on earth without clutter. Your parents and doting... Read More

5 Easy Steps to Making Housework More Manageable

Sometimes the task of keeping a clean, tidy house just... Read More

Getting Organized For The New Year - Part 1

The following procedures will insure an organized and well run... Read More

Mental Clutter- Is It Taking Over Your Life?

Chances are, most of you have a lot you need... Read More

How Clutter Chases Money Away

Have you ever heard that having a cluttered home can... Read More

Relieve Vacation Stress By Planning Ahead

Cindy looks at the calendar and sighs. Ah, the end... Read More

Organize Your Children & Save Your Sanity

It may be difficult to relate saving money with organization... Read More

Organize Yourself Otherwise Your Work Could Kill You

We are in a society where people are applauded for... Read More

Letting Go Of Your Excuses

At this point, you have probably run across some belongings... Read More

Organizing - Time is of the Essence!

What does "time" have to do with getting organized? Everything!... Read More

Be More Productive - Books to Help You Be More and Do More!

How many of us have enough time to do everything... Read More