To efficiently and effectively aim at any complex goals, they generally benefit from being thoughtfully split into (sub) goals and actions, also referred to as a plan. Planning is generally performed through one or multiple cycles of Inspiration, Assessment, and Prioritization, ideally followed by Execution and Evaluation. The frequency of the cycles should preferably be adapted to the complexity and timescale of the main goals being aimed at.
Tips for Planning:
- Get as much clarity as possible on the main goals or expected outcomes of the plan and how it relates to your personal goals. Not only will this activity improve the definition of the plan, but it will also improve its execution through enhanced motivation and wellbeing. For instance, a person would be more motivated and committed to performing an unappealing action if they know it is leading to a great outcome.
- Prioritize the goals by considering their expected impact, effort or ease, and associated risk and timing. Short–term expected outcomes also involve lower risk. It also helps here to keep in mind the aspects of wellbeing as part of the assessment.
- If possible, make the planning as comfortable as possible and account for possible setbacks. This activity not only lowers the stress but also increases the chance of success for the high priority goals.
- Inspiring and motivating approaches include, for instance, trying to keep an open mind and building one‘s own opinion, researching and defining the ideal state being aimed at, observing what works and does not through the examples of others or historical information, and identifying and focusing on the main issues.
- Make it easy to define, remind, and review the plan.
- When possible, quantifying and measuring the expected outcome enables further clarity. One may consider measures such as feelings, feedback, surveys, finances, or time.
- The level of detail in the plan depends on what maximizes the chances of reaching the goals. Sometimes a too granular level of detail is counterproductive, while other times it is beneficial.
- Consider the required resources and dependencies as part of the plan.
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Note: The script of the video associated to this article is available here.
