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Saturday, October 4, 2008

Goal + Plan = Success

Today I thought about this month's goals. Why you ask? What sort of anal compulsive behavior is that?

I know - I'm not a goal person - well, I wasn't and I'm not particularly organized. But I've learned one thing along the way, if you want to get somewhere - make a goal. Of course, once you have a goal you need a plan. Some goals are easy and plans are one or two steps. Some goals are more complex and the plans span longer time frames. For a writer goals and plans are necessary. Unless you have contracts in hand, and even then, there isn't anyone standing over your shoulder giving you a to do list for the day. Often you're working under deadlines that no one but you will follow up on. So if you want that book finished by the end of the year or the rough draft of that story done by the end of the month - you best set a goal and make a plan. And that will ensure you get there.

A plan found us in Beijing the beginning of this year. A lack of plan to totally account for weather found myself a tad chilled.

Goals without a plan are no guarantee of success. Sometimes it's never too late to plan. A quickly drafted plan chased the cold away in time to see the Great Wall of China.


And you - how do you plan?

Ryshia

1 comment:

Teresa said...

I agree - and be flexible enough to change your plan as you go because something unexpected always comes up. Like the weather, children are the same way. Unpredictable. And if there is one thing I have learned all these years of teaching - set your objective, make your plan and have a back up ready in the wings. Who knows what may come up at the last minute. If an assembly is called, if someone gets hurt at recess, if there is a full moon, if the planets are not in order, if there was no breakfast this morning, if someone got hurt, if they are tired of listening and need time to talk, if they can't write aymore, if I change the bulletin board paper, if the horoscope is out of whack, if I stray from routine - well you get the idea!!
But keep your eye on the objective, and be flexible enough in your plans and you will achieve success!