Last week, we all celebrated the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was a man of action and used his life to serve the greater good of all mankind. As I continue in the article series, I am reminded of King’s dedication to the cause of racial equality for all Americans. I remain in awe of his ability to stand true to his mission and never waiver from the cause he so believed in with every ounce of his being. His quiet intensity and peaceful fearlessness serves as a blueprint for anyone committed to a purpose and cause greater than them.
In article 1, the foundation was laid explaining the need for identifying your purpose, vision, mission, and core values. Article 2 focused on the process for setting SMART(ER) goals and how to ensure they meet that specific criteria. The next step in creating a strategic life plan that will get results is to create your action plan.
What good are goals alone? A goal without an action is merely a dream. I’ve encountered many individuals what have set goals but haven’t invested the time writing and completing the actions needed to bring that goal to life. So in essence, the action plan separates the dreamer from the achiever. An action plan is your step by step guide for the course you will follow to completing your goal. It will serve as your daily reminder and to-do list and should contain as much detail as possible outlining the steps you will take to achieve your goal.
For your action plan to be effective, it must be:
- Written with the end in mind. Steven Covey said it best, “Begin with the end in mind.” Your action plan must be written with extreme clarity and with the utmost intent of completing your goal
- Achievable. The actions in your plan must be “doable.” You are setting yourself up for failure if the actions are so far-fetched you don’t have the resources or the wherewithal to complete them.
- Supportive of the goal. Be sure your completed actions will obtain the desired end-result.
- Reviewed Periodically. As you, your situations, your goals, and your purpose changes, so should your actions that support your goals.
In Brian Tracy’s book Goals, he wrote one of my favorite quotes of all time, “An average plan vigorously executed is far better than a brilliant plan on which nothing is done. For you to achieve any kind of success, execution is everything.” It’s the execution that gets results and will separate you from the average dreamer. I often tell people, there is only one difference between you and a multimillionaire and it’s simply that they did not allow their goal to remain a dream. They effectively executed the actions necessary to make that goal a reality.
When writing your action plan, include these steps:
- Clarify, Clarify, Clarify. Does your goal meet the SMART(ER) criteria as discussed in Article #2? Is it specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely, ethical, and reviewed. If your goals don’t meet this criteria, you must re-write your goals to move forward.
- Brainstorm all possibilities. For each of your goals, write out every conceivable action that will support you completing the goal. List each of them with the understanding that there are no wrong answers. Focus on generating as many different options and ideas as possible.
- Identify the best actions. After completing the brainstorming session, analyze each action and select the best 3-5 actions that support completing your goal.
- Don’t play it safe. Wouldn’t life be great if each action selected would fit neatly into your already planned life? ABSOLUTELY NOT! In order to achieve great things, you must be willing to do things you’ve never done. Stretch yourself and test your limits and boundaries.
- Identify an accountability partner. Share your strategic plan. Most people fail because they aren’t accountable to anyone. It’s easier to give up when no one has an expectation that you succeed or at minimum complete that task at hand.
The process of creating an action plan is where the rubber meets the road. It is the true test of your resilience, dedication, and ability to forge ahead when others may doubt you. See your goals as the big picture, but don’t focus solely on the big picture. Your effectiveness is perfected when you focus on the details. It’s those small, minute tasks that make up your action plan that will distinguish you from others and get results.
To an awesomely, productive week.
© Copyright 2011 Adrian Freeman
Adrian Freeman is a motivational speaker and personal coach. Using a series of strategic goals, meaningful actions, and accountability, Adrian’s approach has proven successful for those he’s mentored either individually or as a group. Adrian’s idea of success is seeing others achieve their greatest potential. For speaking engagements or to request additional articles, visit http://adrianspeaks.net or email Adrian at [email protected]
