It's Tuesday at 2:00pm! (PST Time: I live and work from Southern California)
Last week I talked about doing a RISK. Read it HERE
*What did you define as areas of RISK to your life?
*Were you able to evaluate and address them?
This month I'm showing you parts of 4 tools that come from the Paterson LifePlan Process. We started with THE FOUR HELPFUL LISTS. Then the TIME AUDIT. Last week we talked about RISK.
Today we'll finish this 4-week LifePlan Preview with Action Steps.
A LifePlan is a waste of time if you don't do anything with it. One of the most important parts of this plan is the Action Steps: What's Important Now? Your W.I.N.S.
To begin with, I want to reminder about SMART GOALS.
Click for a short video on SMART GOALS
When we begin to define our action steps, we need to understand what a SMART GOAL is, because if our action steps are not defined, then it's impossible to measure them and see if we are moving in the right direction.
With an action steps, don't make it complicated. I would create a 3-month action plan window, and I'd answer these questions:
#1) What is it that I want to accomplish?
#2) What are the objectives or specifics of that?
#3) When do I want to have that accomplished?
#4) Who do I want to help me achieve that?
#5) What resources will I need to accomplish this?
It's pretty simple. The process of simply defining each W.I.N. (What's Important Now) will force you to make this a SMART GOAL and will make this action step definable.
Here's an example:
#1) I want to plan and execute a family vacation for our family In early 2020.
#2) We want to spend 4 days together, someplace away from home, and someplace away from work distractions. The purpose is to simply be together, enjoy time away and play together.
#3) We want to do this vacation before March 1st, 2020.
#4) I need to have the buy-in and support of my family to pull this off.
#5) Russ and Gina will pay for the lodging. Everyone is responsible to get there and we'll split the costs of the meals.
This creates some strong metrics around this Action Step.
I would then break it down into bite-sized action steps:
* Confirm a date that everyone can attend. Lock in by December 1st.
* Choose a location by brainstorming together. Lock in by December 10th.
* Confirm the housing and make the reservation by December 15th.
* Put someone in charge of researching activities. December 15th.
* Find someone to coordinate the meals by January 15th.
* Confirm everything by February 1st.
This is a simple example, but it works the same with complex projects or goals. Just break it down, create actionable steps and set some deadlines.
Most of us fail in that the idea seems so big that we don't start, then we panic and have to rush through it to accomplish it. This is also a way to create some accountability. In this situation, I would share the steps with my family, and together we would hold each other to the timeline. Accountability is good!
I encourage you to try this process the next time you have a goal or a project you're working on. Break it down, set some realistic targets and then measure if you were able to achieve it or not. Sometimes we have to adjust the process along the way.
These tools are all a part of the Paterson LifePlan and StratOp Process. If you'd like more information on how this full process can help you in your leadership, or help your organization, learn more about this HERE.
Share with me how applying this process helped you today!
"You need to choose goals that are big enough to spark you fire" Mia Fox
"A goal without a plan is just a wish" Antoine de Saint-Exuperys
"When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps." Confucius
