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A Fan of the Plan

I've really enjoyed my mini-vacation during the last week of December. The week has been enjoyable and refreshing in a number of ways. I've enjoyed spending time with family and friends. I've taken the time to relax and slow down. I've eaten my share of holiday snacks. Heck, I've even managed to steer clear of the mall. (Whew.)

Being a quintessential success guy, I've also completed my Personal Success Plan for 2007. I knew that I wanted to enter the New Year with a clear vision and written objectives, so I committed to completing this important exercise. I hate to waste time figuring out if I'm doing the right things or not, if I'm getting ahead or not, if I turned off the iron or not. So this year, I decided to put all of my planning effort up front before the year even started.

I realize that you may not have completed this type of Personal Success Planning exercise yet. Fortunately, there's still time. (Heck, even if it gets to be August there's still time - it's never too late to plan to succeed.) Still, a lot of you may be unsure how to go about creating this type of plan. Unfortunately, they don't teach you how to do this sort of success stuff in school - not at any level. Sure, you could go read dozens of self-help books, but that would take a lot of time. (Plus, most of them are really boring.)

In case you're stuck, I thought I'd share the process I went through to create my own Personal Success Plan for 2007. I encourage you to take a few minutes and consider whether this type of process (or a reasonable facsimile) may work for you.

Step 1: Setting the Scene

I started out by selecting an incredibly comfortable chair. (One large enough for my ample backside.) I poured myself a nice glass of wine, and I pulled out my iPod for some music to set my mood. My personal choice was a Fiona Apple/Tori Amos mix - enough to lift my spirits, but not enough to distract me. (Sorry, Snoop.)

I grabbed a pad of paper and a pencil with a fresh eraser. (Mistakes weren't going to bother me in the least.) I decided to forego the computer (for now) and I left my phone in the other room so I could stay focused on what I considered to be a task that was critical for my success. I squared up my most positive, can-do attitude and I rolled up my sleeves.

Step 2: Digging In

I started the exercise by listing my major life goals. These are big picture outcomes that are a good match for my personal values. I like to write mine in the present tense, as if they were already accomplished - I find this helps me envision them as a future reality. One example I noted was "I am in great shape." (So much for the ample backside.)

The core of my 2007 planning process involves selecting objectives that will bring me closer to these larger life goals. For each big goal, I selected 3-5 manageable and specific accomplishments that would do exactly that. I started by brainstorming and moving quickly through the exercise. Not all entries made the final cut. ("Pitch reality show to Mark Burnett") Others seemed more on target. ("Take family on a camping trip to Acadia National Park").

During my first pass, I focused on the "what" rather than the "when". Scheduling and detailed planning will come later. Where possible, I also tried to include a "who" - as in whose help could I enlist to help me succeed? ("Review investment plan with a local real estate agent").

Step 3: Final Pass and Review

By the end of the exercise, I had cobbled together 50 target accomplishments for 2007. Some were large ("Complete 1 endurance event") and some were small ("Renew subscription to Audible.com"). Some cost big bucks ("Take family to Disney") and some were free ("Drink water every day"). To make sure I was on target, I reviewed my plan with my family and friends.

Will I successfully complete all of these objectives in 2007? No way. (Will I come close? Damn skippy!) While I do keep score, that's not entirely the point. The simple fact is that just thinking about how good it will feel to get these things done motivates the heck out of me. Having the written list in my hand means I don't have to wonder what I should be working on. With the planning largely done, I can turn my precious attention to the actual "doing". (You know, the stuff that really allows you to get ahead.)

When it comes to planning for your success, the good news is that it doesn't matter how you do it. (The bad news for some people is that you actually have to do it!) I shared my version only to provide an example to get you started. I also shared it because I thoroughly enjoyed the process, and I want you to see how great it feels! I feel well-prepared for 2007, and I'm looking forward to accomplishing some really great things.

So, let me know when Dick Clark gets here, would ya? Bring on the New Year!

See you in 2007!