Setting up a new business, starting a new project or pretty much doing anything new for the first time is really exciting and scary.
AS it is with almost every new project or idea, you seem to have it all figured out and ready to go. You have thousands of ideas with all of them seemingly great. No night is a bad night to stay up late working on this new exciting project and you also spend most of your days researching and talking about everything you can and will accomplish. But what happened when you seem to have exhausted all those awesome ideas and you are not even halfway there? Most likely you will feel stagnant and likely put your idea on the side for just a little while.
Feelings of frustration and self doubt might even cross your mind. It all looked so perfect! We, the brave enough entrepreneurs have gone thru this and it's totally normal. The key is knowing what do next. Avoid losing the momentum and stay focused by creating an #actionplan.
I’m not talking about creating a super complex action plan, all you need is the simple steps, little actions you can take every day to help you get to your GOAL.
So let's get started! Grab your favorite notebook and your best pen.
Let’s figure out what the your main goal is. What are you looking to accomplish? Make it as clear as possible. Let’s say you are planning to launch a new business by a set date. Now that you have the main idea, it will be easier to break it down by objectives. Think of your objectives as small goals or action steps. Sort of a to-do list.
Nooks and crannies. Take a day to brainstorm. Really block some hours of your schedule and dedicate it to make a list. This list needs to be as specific as possible. In this list you need to think of EVERYTHING that you need to do in order to get to your goal. If your goal is to launch a new business, what do you need to do? Think of everything. Choosing a name, websites, business cards, services/products you will sell, pricing...etc. Be creative and add anything that you think will get you closer to reaching your goal. Above all, keep the television off!
Make it pretty. Once your list is complete and you feel confident, transfer it over to a source that best works for you such as a whiteboard, notebook or excel sheet. Make sure it’s easy for you to access and it keeps your notes organize. Next to it, write the 4 following things: Start date, Due date (when do you need this accomplished), Person responsible (Not everything will fall on you) - in this line name any outside vendors/person that is helping you accomplish that task. Your name should only be there if you are fully responsible for it, and lastly, add a section for a description (what and why do you need to do this), Feel free to add as many details. This section is for “special instructions”.
Not everything has to be so boring! Create a vision board. Make out of your action plan a visual plan. Make it as inspiring as possible. Having a visual reminder of what we want will get you in the right mindset. You can even doodle or sketch as long as it is something related to your task. Like Bob proctor said, “If You Can Hold It In Your Head, You Can Hold It In Your Hand”. Visualize. Visualize. Visualize.
Having an action plan will not only help you achieve your goal but it will also serve you from losing the momentum. Following up on the dates of each task will keep you on track. If you feel you need it, look for a coach, a friend or colleague, someone that can help you stay on track. It’s all about being accountable. With a clear goal and an amazing action plan you will get there in no time. Think of it as an assistant or partner you have that constantly asks you, “Hey how’s your progress going? Did you get this or that done? Did you make the phone calls you needed to make?”
#Entrepreneurship #Goalsetting #ActionPlan #Ideas #Visionboard