Failing to plan is planning to fail
This well used quote has been attributed to Benjamin Franklin… Scientist, one of the Founding Father’s of the United States and face of the $USD100 note.
There is definitely a lot of merit to this statement, especially for a list writer like myself. The amazing feeling of marking a line on a checklist when achieved is one of my favourite things. Planning can be used to succeed in many aspects, personally and in business.
Make time to focus
Too often people get stuck in a routine of wake up, have coffee, go to work, come home, pour a wine, have dinner, pour another wine, and another – oh back to the blog, go to bed…repeat.
Everyone needs to make time to stop and reflect on what you have, where you want to be and how you are going to get there.
Personal Life Planning
Never underestimate the importance of having a goal. There are certain aspects to goal making, as we spoke about here.
Set time to stop, look and listen and make a plan for your goal.
Stop what you are doing, set a timer so that for that limited space you can solely focus on what you want to achieve.
Look at what you currently have, think of what you want to have.
Listen to your instinct to determine if this is really what you want and if your actions every day are working towards that goal.
Business Planning
Make an appointment for yourself to sit down and really focus on your business.
Stop and focus on what you are trying to accomplish. Take a moment to really see what you have achieved already and where you would like to see yourself in 1, 3, 5, 10 years time.
Look at the resources you have – people, money, equipment, location, outsourcing – all of these are important factors to achieve the type of business success you envision. Using resources like periodic reports, see sample below, and financial statements to review performance and identify areas that may need more focus to get you where you want to be.
Listen to the operating environment that surrounds you. This may assist to identify opportunities for growth. Listen to people that have the skills you do not have, obtain the views of people that have tread a similar path before you – mentors, books, advisors.
In a Nutshell,
Take the time to stop and focus on what you already have and where you want to be. Write down plans to achieve your personal and business goals. Share them with your family and close friends to help keep you on the right track.
For businesses, make the plans and check on the progress to keep your business on track. Read through the financial reports provided to you. Make time to have a chat to discuss your goals with your accountant and the people that work for you. This can give you the support to accomplish what you want.
