With 2011 fast approaching our rearview mirror, it’s a time many reflect on the year that was and look ahead to potential and possibilities for 2012. As for the word resolutionist, I had no idea this was even a word until my friend Cortney Casey used it in a Facebook conversation. Then like any good computer geek, I looked it up on the interwebs.
Resolutionsist:
A person who makes ballsy claims for New Year’s resolutions even though you know they won’t follow through with any of them.
Raise your hand if you’ve been guilty of being a resolutionist. Right. We all have at some point in our lives. It may not be specifically something we planned to do in January, only to forget about it by time February rolled around. It happens in May and October as well. We tell ourselves lies throughout the year, and then attempt to trick ourselves again the following year. When it comes to business, we often subscribe to the “hope and a prayer” method as our business plan instead of creating a detailed roadmap that is followed to a tee, each and every day, all year long. This year, I say we do things a little differently. Let’s actually see this thing through to the bitter end. That’s my mission and I welcome anyone to join me.
STEP 1
Create your plan.
Make sure your plan offers contingencies so that you can progress, even when you hit inevitable roadblocks. Most people fail because they hit snags and don’t have a workaround plan in place, so everything comes to a screeching halt.
STEP 2
Your plan needs to be written down, organized, and reviewed regularly.
Trying to execute your vision by memory is a great way to stumble before reaching the starting line. You should be reviewing your plan at least monthly if not more frequently. Write down what is working and what isn’t. Continue coming up with new contingencies as your plan morphs over time.
STEP 3
Share your plan with trusted professionals.
Find a few people that are willing to take a look at your plan and provide feedback with things they like and things they believe may be problematic. Getting a fresh set of eyes from a handful of non-partial or emotionally invested friends and colleagues will help shape your plan into something better than you could create on your own.
STEP 4
Reward successes, analyze failures.
There’s never been a plan created by man that hasn’t had a few hiccups along the way, at least plans more intricate than: I’m hungry, I put food in my belly, mission accomplished. Understand that things will happen beyond your control, that’s where some of the options you’ve planned for earlier will come into play. When you hit milestones or make progress towards larger goals, reward yourself. Get a manicure if that’s your thing; enjoy a nice meal out if that does it for you. Reinforce your hard work and dedication to sticking to your plan.
STEP 5
Plan adjustment and feedback.
Continue adjusting your plan, coming up with contingencies, and share your results with the same people that helped along the way. I’m sure your network that provided input into your plan would love to hear how it’s going half way through, or at some point throughout your execution. They may be able to provide new insight with updated information and observation.
STEP 6
Keep detailed notes anytime you learn something, which should happen quite frequently.
In addition to writing down what worked and what didn’t, try to include what you might want to try the next time you’re in the same situation. As you review your plan regularly, find opportunities to implement some of the ideas you thought of along the way. It’s great if you think of new ways to do something but without putting it to the test, it’s just another worthless idea because it’s just that: an idea that doesn’t get executed. We all have plenty of those, I’m imaging.
STEP 7
Wean yourself away from creating plans in December for the following year.
When we create resolutions in January, we do so out of familiarity. Society has created this January start date mentality but in all reality, when we’re able to put together a detailed plan at other times of the year, we tend to be a bit more serious about them. We’re not forcing something because the calendar tells us it’s time.
So there you have it, my seven easy steps towards successful planning. Now that I’ve written this post, it’s time for me to create my 2012 roadmap. I’ll also be thinking about the few I would like to share it with for feedback. I’m a former recovering resolutionist and I don’t need 12 steps to cure what’s been ailing me.
