Big or small, every project or task requires some thinking and planning. We can’t always just wing it and expect to see great results. That just doesn’t happen… usually. A good friend of mine once told me, “Always hope for the best, and prepare for the worst.”
Big or small, every project or task requires some thinking and planning. We can’t always just wing it and expect to see great results. That just doesn’t happen… usually. A good friend of mine once told me, “Always hope for the best, and prepare for the worst.” It’s imperative that you have a plan of attack (POA) to execute—this will assure a higher percentage of goal attainment.
Let’s start small and say you want to… go to the beach. OKAY. So usually you don’t just get up, drop everything and just go. Why? Because you probably have a job, maybe a family, or some other priority that is keeping you from this. Now you have to plan: What day(s) can you go? Where do you want to go? Who is going with you? Maybe plan a budget for the trip? How are you getting there? Just to name a few things to think about. Let’s face it, if you actually up and left for the beach right now, you would just be causing more pain than pleasure. Point being the planning behind the process is necessary.
Now let’s look at a larger scale example like… implementing a marketing plan in your company. Alright there’s a lot to cover here but I will just touch on a few basics. First, you have to figure out what it is you’re trying to accomplish. Obviously everyone is looking to convert leads into clients and drive sales. So that one is easy. Next is how are you going to do this? There are so many options: website SEO, revamp your branding, direct mailing, community events, email campaigns, etc., the list goes on. Okay now who is going to do this for you? You aren’t going to just choose any company. You want to know if they’re reputable and can accomplish your tasks effectively. Nothing is promised in this world. After all of that is done, plus some meetings, plus some more planning with the marketing company and more work… you will have results J (given you chose the right people for the right job).
The process behind every task involves an extensive course of actions in your mind. If it’s a small task, you may not have to consciously think about it, but if it’s something big then you better put on that thinking cap. Make sure you stay on top of every detail while maintaining a clear vision of the ultimate goal.
For me, when I have a project or a task, there is always a method behind it. This method was created through a process of trial and error and is continuously improving with every project I encounter. I make sure I write down the goal I want then start breaking down the steps to accomplish each goal. It goes deeper, but ultimately I break everything down so every step is quantifiable or qualifying in some way towards the goal. I make sure that while working through the process, changes are made possible and the big picture is never lost. Then, because I wrote everything down, it can be duplicated to the next project or task. That way consistency is maintained and peace of mind is attained.
