The average individual has
no real plan for his or her future. He or she may have fantasies and even
hopes, but not plans.
“There is no sudden leap
into the stratosphere. There is only advancing step by step, slowly and tortuously, up the pyramid toward your goals.” Ben Stein
“I’ve always had a vision to
do bigger and better things. Not just for myself, but for my family and
community. I know you don’t do it all at once. It takes planning and
preparation to get big things done, and I was willing to spend fifteen years
preparing myself for the challenge. Lee Dunham
“I learned that confidence
comes only after a measure of success, and success comes after a whole lot of
practice and preparation.” Maury Wills
“I hated every minute of the
training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as
a champion.’” Muhammad Ali
“I believe that all of us
have the potential to rise above our weaknesses, and even to use those
weaknesses as foundations for our success. If we are willing to diligently
practice and develop the skills, we can be successful in whatever field we
choose.” Jackie Torrence
Your
Personal Action Plan : Preparing for Your Future
Most people have no plan for
their lives. Many have an idea that they’ll work a certain number of years,
then retire. Some may have fantasies and hopes, but they do not have plans. Instead,
they respond to what life brings according to the needs of the day. People may
have innovative ideas but then might scrutinize them over and over until they
find all the reasons why their ideas will not work.
The following steps will help
you prepare your personal plan of action.
Step 1: Identify the
Desired Result
The first step in designing
a plan is to look ahead at the end result you envision. By developing clear
vision of what you ultimately want to achieve, it will be easier to identify
the steps to get there.
Action:
Write a clear and concise/brief statement of specifically what you want to
accomplish and by what date. Make sure the statement is consistent with your
purpose and passion.
Step 2: Determine the Skills You’ll Need
Unstoppable people are
willing to become students. They exert the energy and make the sacrifices
necessary to educate themselves and to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary
to fulfill their dreams. Many people
take training or pursue new job to broaden their experience and knowledge.
Without exception, you must have an unwavering/firm commitment to do whatever
is necessary to become fully prepared for the tasks ahead.
Action:
Research and identify the skills, education, and experience required to achieve
your goal. One way to help you learn about those requirements is to talk to
people who are doing what you want to do.
Step 3: Create a Plan of
Action.
By their very nature, dreams
have a tendency to be broad and vague/unclear. To be unstoppable, you must
convert your dream into reality. You can do so easily by taking your goal and
breaking it into smaller steps. Then arrange the steps in priority order and
write dates next to each step indicating when it must be accomplished to meet
your ultimate objective. A clear, methodical approach will help you move
steadily forward, without danger of being overwhelmed by the ultimate goal.
Action:
Now it’s time for you to create your unstoppable plan of action.
Write a clear and concise statement of
specifically what you want to accomplish and by what date.
Break your goal down into single steps and
activities.
Prioritize the steps and write dates next to
each indicating when each step must be accomplished to meet your ultimate
objective.
Review your action plan daily.
Do at least one thing every day to move yourself
closer to your goal.
Many of you have written
plans and we are well on your way to accomplishing your goals. Some of you are
just realizing what it is you really want. Regardless of what you want to
accomplish, it begins with a dream. But without a plan, your dream may remain
just a dream. Start now! Put together your action plan. Then, remember the
action part.
