Planning and Acting: Essential Parts to Any Achievement

You know what you want; you can almost taste your goal, see it just over that one mountain. Truly, if you can dream it, you can do it, and no goal is ever truly out of reach. It simply might take more planning and inspired action to get you over that great big mountain.

You started with an idea; something that you knew would transform your everyday life into something so much better. Now, the trick is to transform that ultimate reality into your everyday reality. Don’t worry, though, no real magic is involved; there is no smoke and mirrors, and everyone, even someone as ordinary as me or you can make any dream a reality. If you think about it, there really isn’t anything ordinary about you at all. The ability to imagine, plan and act is a very unique and beautiful ability to have.

Start Small to Grow Big

Everyone with a dream starts, unconsciously putting obstacles in their way. How is this possible? One of the best ways to do this is by trying to reach the ultimate goal within one big leap instead of a few little measured steps. How many times have you tried to accomplish something spectacular, and crashed in a spectacular fashion? Chances are you bit off more than you could handle in one sitting.

As a safe driver, you wouldn’t dream of driving from Boston to San Francisco in one day. Between fatigue, a car running out of gas, and other needs, it would simply be impossible. You would get there, and the San Francisco Bay would always be within your ultimate sight, but first you would have to travel through such places as Chicago, Denver, and even Las Vegas. How you went would depend on what route you took, and how you planned your trip.

This idea can be seen with how you achieve your goals. By planning for and achieving small goals you can gain added experience, insight, and rejuvenation fuel you towards your ultimate dream.

It’s About Quality, Not Quantity

How many times have you rushed out the door, a long list of things to accomplish trailing behind you and grasped tightly in your hand? On those days when your laundry list was longer than you, how many things did you actually get accomplished? Chances are, it wasn’t very much. When you took that same list and pared it down, focusing on only the tasks related to what you needed to do that day (as opposed to some that you can delegate or ask help with), or ones that fit a specific theme, a lot more probably got accomplished.

The exact same idea can be utilized when you’re moving toward your ultimate goal. For many people, the sheer amount of action needed to accomplish an overall goal can be extremely overwhelming. Many a person has looked at a mountain in front of them and has gotten discouraged by the immense size that looms before them.

As any mountaineer, any teacher, even any person will tell you, every mountain scaled, every book written, every task completed began by putting one foot in front of the other. But focusing on what is essential to accomplish your next goal, you allow yourself to be concerned with the quality of your actions, and not the quantity. The mountain won’t likely move from your path, and as you move through it, the passes will appear, and each correct step will bring you closer to your ultimate goal.

Focus on What Will Be

There is no doubt that planning is important. Knowing how and when you will act in the pursuit of your ultimate goal is essential for anyone who wishes to achieve something in their lifetime. However, many people get stuck in the mire of how, of logistics and procedures, instead of keeping the focus on what will be, the final goal.

Humans are taught from a very young age that in order to accomplish something, they must have a solid, specific, and usable plan. While specifics are nice, and having a solid nature is reassuring, it doesn’t leave much room for innovation or growth. What happens when your best laid plans fall to the wayside?

And this is where humans are so amazing. Our ability to adapt our plan to new circumstances, to act in a new environment is truly second to none. A drive from Boston to the California coast will undoubtedly have many detours and delays, but still thousands make that same journey every year. By allowing your plan the flexibility to adjust and shift based on available data and circumstances, you’ll be able to accomplish your goal no matter what detour is thrown in your path.

By learning to alter your steps as needed, while keeping your goal firmly in sight, you’ll be able to accomplish something that few rarely do. You’ll be able to turn your dream into your reality.