My Life Plan Week 5 — Plans & Targets & Whatnot

1951 photo Dwight D. Eisenhower

“Plans are worthless,

but planning is everything.”

~ Dwight D. Eisenhower

 

I’m currently creating My Life Plan between now and the end of the year. You should totally do one too! And bring over your My Little Ponies so we can play together. It’ll just be the MOST! There might even be tea and crumpets. I don’t know what crumpets are, but according to my dear friend Google, it’s some kind of pancake-ish thing. Doesn’t sound like it goes very well with tea and My Little Ponies. Maybe we’ll skip the crumpets.

 

So anyway, let’s do this thing.

 

MY LIFE PLAN STEPS:

My Life Plan Step 1: Wants

My Life Plan Step 2: Needs

My Life Plan Step 3: Preparation

My Life Plan (continuation of Step 3): Life Purpose

My Life Plan Step 4: Goals

My Life Plan Step 5: Plans

My Life Plan Step 6: Accountability

 

“Nothing can add more power to your life

than concentrating all your energies

on a limited set of targets.”

~ Nido Qubein

 

Last week I talked about turning my “dreams” into goals — specific statements of what I hope to achieve. This week I’m looking at HOW to achieve my goals. How do I get there? I need a Treasure Map, if you will (or even if you WON’T, *snicker*).

 

 

Anne Dorko wrote a really terrific article entitled “The Truth About Treasure Maps & Why You Need One” which I found helpful in thinking about how to break down steps in such a way that you can focus on them one at a time. I have decided that the word “Plan” is entirely too dull for My Life Plan, and shall henceforth refer to any “Plan” as a Treasure Map. Because who doesn’t love pirates? Am I right?

 

The plan TREASURE MAP is how you intend to get there, what steps you will take, when you start and stop, and all the other bits and pieces involved in ensuring you reach your Targets along the way — milestones achieved on the road to success.

 

My TREASURE MAP (heehee, it shall never get old!) will help me TAN: Take Action Now, an idea I borrowed from .

 

BREAKING DOWN MY DREAMS & GOALS INTO TARGETS:

ACTION STEPS TO CREATE MY LIFE PLAN

 

“A goal is a dream with a deadline.”

~ Napoleon Hill

 

MY LIFE PLAN STEP 5: PLANS

Use your goals to create a short-term plan of action.

Come up with monthly, weekly, and daily targets.

Track progress and reassess for adjustment if necessary.

 

Following are some examples of Dreams broken down into actionable steps. They aren’t necessarily mine. I just chose them off the top of my head as typical New Year Resolutions.

 

EXAMPLE Dream (wistful idea /// somewhat vague):

This year I want to read more books and save money.

 

EXAMPLE Goal (specific idea):

This year I will read 12 books and put $1000 into savings.

 

EXAMPLE Target(directions to head toward achieving idea):

Monthly Target: Every month this year I will read a book and save $80.

Weekly Target: Every week this year I will read a quarter of a book and save $20.

 

EXAMPLE Plan (steps to take /// active pursuit of dream):

Every day this year I will read “x” pages of a book and transfer $3 from my checking into my savings account.

 

Confucius Says (Funny List) Art Poster Print

When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached,

don’t adjust the goals,

adjust the action steps.

~ Confucius

 

MY DREAMS (wistful, somewhat vague ideas):

I want to complete & publish my novel.

I want to lose weight.

I want to increase our income.

I want a clean & organized house.

I want to ride an elephant.

I want to “Join a group” and “Just show up” per my Happiness Project FAILS.

I want to “Complete a Project and track its Before & After”, per my aforementioned FAILS.

 

MY GOALS (specific ideas) FOR 2013:

This year I will:

— outline, complete, and begin edits on my 90K-word novel.

— lose 50 pounds.

— increase our income by at least $400 per month.

— spend time in each of six areas (Office, Laundry room, Kitchen, Living room, Restroom, Master bedroom).

— track each room’s Before & After.

— Join and actually attend TWO groups: a monthly writing critique meet-up as well as a monthly book club.

— ride an elephant (this would be my “stretch” goal… or in my parlance, this is my “pony”).

 

MY TARGETS (directions to head toward achieving goals) FOR 2013:

In order to complete my novel, this year I will:

— complete novel outline by January 6, 2013.

— complete reading of James Scott Bell’s PLOT & STRUCTURE by January 12, 2013.

— complete the writing exercises and apply them to my WIP by January 31, 2013.

— identify five beta readers outside my immediate circle by September 1, 2013 (that’s 244 days).

— compose 90K words (of which I already have 10K written) by September 30, 2013 (that’s 273 days).

— enlist help from family as needed.

 

In order to lose 50 pounds, this year I will:

— exercise by walking outdoors since my treadmill is sadly dead.

— keep my daily calorie intake below 2100 (portion control).

— eat fewer sweets + more good-for-you types of things (healthy choices).

— aim for a loss of three-five pounds per month.

— enlist help from family as needed.

 

In order to increase our income by $400 per month, this year I will:

— submit five applications to online positions per week.

— pursue past potential offers with a vengeance.

— ask around for more opportunities.

— nail at least one additional position by January 31, 2013.

— enlist help from family as needed.

 

In order to clean and organize our house, this year I will:

— spend two months in each of six areas (Office , Laundry room, Kitchen, Living room, Restroom, Master bedroom) minimalizing, organizing, cleaning, and decorating.

— create a chart by January 1, 2013 to keep me on track.

— track each room’s Before & After.

— enlist help from family as needed.

 

In order to join and attend a writing critique meet-up and a book club, this year I will:

— identify the groups I am interested in attending (DONE!).

— write dates, times, and locations on my calendar (DONE!).

— make attendance a priority.

— enlist help from family as needed.

 

In order to ride an elephant, this year I will:

— scour the interwebz for tips on achieving this.

— ask around.

— have an idea of location, cost, and feasibility by June 1, 2013.

 

DAILY PLAN (steps to take /// active pursuit of dreams) for January 2013:

1. Add at least 300 words to my WIP per day.

2. Read half a chapter of PLOT & STRUCTURE per day.

3. Identify activities to complete upon reaching the end of each chapter.

4. Walk two-three miles daily per the course I outlined.

5. Purchase diet meals, fruits, veggies, & yogurt.

6. Identify and submit one online application per day, Monday through Friday.

7. Contact and pester those who have already offered projects.

8. Spend 15-30 minutes daily minimalizing the crap in my office during January 1 through January 15; organizing whatever crap is left in my office during January 16 through January 31; cleaning my office during February 1 through February 14; hanging shit on the walls of my office and adding other decorative touches during February 15 through February 28.

9. Take a “Before” picture on of my office on January 1, 2013.

10. Attend the following gatherings in January 2013:

• Thursday, January 3: Critique Group @ 7pm.
• Monday, January 14: Book Club @ 7pm.
• Saturday, January 26: Author event @ 2pm.

 

And there you have it, fellow smurflings. My “Resolutions” for 2013. Next weekend I will cover the final step in creating My Life Plan: ACCOUNTABILITY. I hope my readers will play some part in holding me to my daily plan. If you care to share your “Resolutions” I’d love to hear them — but make sure to include what steps you will take to achieving them!

 

Now I am off to eat some crumpets. I decided to skip the tea and stick with the pancakes. You’re welcome to bring over your My Little Ponies if you’d like to play.