It is not good enough for things to be planned – they still have to be done; for the intention to become a reality, energy has to be launched into operation.
– American illustrator and animator Walt Kelly was born on this day in 1913 (died 1973)
There has to be a plan.
In some ways, I think that’s why it took me until I was fifty to recognize and acknowledge this writing thing. I never really had a plan for making it happen.
That’s not exactly true. I had plans. Some of them weren’t necessarily good plans and some of them just weren’t implemented.
It’s only been in the last two months that I’ve kicked the right plan into high gear.
I have my reasons. They’ll be in a book someday.
And, I have plans to get those books published.
I’m closer. I know I talk a lot about it, but I’m closer now than I’ve been.
Just because I haven’t had the books published yet doesn’t mean I haven’t been writing. I most certainly have.
But, the books. Those are my goals. Those are my plans.
Your plan(s) will differ. Here are some helpful tips toward developing your own plan of action.
1) Know where you’re going with the plan and what you want.
2) Be specific. Be definite. There’s no wishing when it comes to planning, or, to quote Yoda, “There is no try. Do.”
3) Develop some realistic milestone. Don’t just say you’re going to be a millionaire by the time you’re thirty (or forty, or sixty). Have some incremental steps in there. Unless you’re plan involves winning the lottery (and that’s not really a good plan), you’ll have to build that fortune.
4) Make a list. Ask the right questions and make a list of the things that have to happen. Do it.
5) Take small steps. Don’t try to accomplish the whole plan at once. Do things in smaller increments, and track your progress.
6) Have timelines and deadlines for everything. Don’t beat yourself up if you miss them, just recalculate and keep moving forward.
7) Never, never stop. If you don’t hit the mark the first time, adjust your deadline, or your goal date. But don’t give up.
Have a plan. Put it into action.
You have work to do.
And when it comes down to plans, I always like the one from the best planner.