While I’m an advocate of planning out the actions needed to achieve your goal, I also know that some people get so caught up in being precise in the planning that they don’t actually do anything at all!
More paralysis by analysis.
To ultimately reach any goal, you must get started with some action steps. Don’t worry about having it all figured out in advance because the moment you start moving toward it, other factors always show up anyway.
Action – Get clear on the goal you want to achieve, determine just the next few action steps and then get started. Begin where you are – and then get moving.
You see, most people tend toward inaction. Successful people have developed a tendency toward action. They do not stop or procrastinate or avoid or delay. They move. They measure their results and they adjust their next action based on the new information and situation. And then they move again.
(I slide back into paralysis occasionally by overanalysing my action plan. The cause – usually the fear of ‘looking like a fool’. What about you? Please share your experiences with us by leaving a response in the comments box.)
Thanks for reminding me. I usually set a goal and plan the first few steps and get going but I often think that I should plan it all out in advance – I have a few things that are still waiting for this perfect planning process but as you point out they are still in my head and not going anywhere. Thanks for putting it into perspective.