Create a winning plan in 7 steps
Are you ever plagued by a disease of distraction that keeps you jumping from one exciting project to another without actually getting much done. I am! Let me help you Create a winning plan in 7 steps.
Do you ever find yourself getting distracted by new projects or hyperfocusing on small, day-to-day tasks. Maybe you spend hours mulling over linkedin, finding the perfect colour scheme on Canva or constantly checking emails. These seemingly small but “vital” tasks generally shift your focus from more important ones.
That’s why it’s a good idea to have a plan so that you’re able to manage your time and stay focused on your goals.
With that in mind, Here are 7 simple steps that’ll help you create a plan for your business.
Look at the big picture. Create a winning plan in 7 steps
Take a step back and think about where you want to be in 5 years time. Maybe you want to expand your product line, break into a new market or hire 100 employees.
Thinking at this level will allow you to narrow down on the everyday actions that could get you closer to these goals.
Set your priorities
After writing down your long-term goals, you’ll realise that some of the things you’ve been doing have the potential to get you closer to those goals while some others don’t. Identify those areas of work that are essential to achieving your 5-year goals and prioritise them.
For instance, if one of your 5-year goals is to earn your first £ 1,000,000, break that goal into actionable steps such as diversifying your revenue streams, reinvesting in your business, or upgrading your skills.
Set 90-day SMARTER goals
After identifying your priorities, you’ll need to break them down into bite-sized pieces. A 90-day time frame is long enough for you to achieve something meaningful and short enough to prevent you from procrastinating. You might be familiar with this step already, but for those who aren’t, SMARTER goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound, Evaluated, & Rewarded goals. This goal-setting technique is very efficient because it enables you to set goals that are measurable, realistic, and reflect your values.
Setting SMARTER goals will allow you to find the motivation to keep going by encouraging you to define your objectives and set a completion date for them.
Create a 90-day action plan
Now that you have your goals, you need to decide what you should do to achieve them and when to do it. A Gantt chart or simple tick sheet are my favorite tools for this part of the process..
Decide what you need to measure
A measurement system will help you keep track of your progress so that you can make adjustments in areas where you feel like your energy and resources aren’t being put to good use. At Oi, all of our clients work with Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) to stay on track. Common KPIs are – money invoiced, number of new leads, number of new proposals, number of new deals, e.t.c.
Check in regularly
One of the main reasons why people fail to achieve their goals is that they fail to regularly assess how they’re doing and whether they’re where they need to be. Checking in once every week will allow you to see how you spend your time and whether you can realistically accomplish all the tasks you set for yourself within a specified time-frame. A check in also shows you all the “little things’ you accomplished, thereby giving you inspiration to keep going.
Find an accountability partner
The biggest challenge with achieving any goal is finding the motivation to consistently work towards it. At the start, it’s easy to stay focused because you’re full of excitement and determination but as time goes by and you fall into a routine, you may start to feel uninspired. Studies have shown that when you share your goals with others, you are twice as likely to achieve them than if you keep the goals to yourself.
Having an accountability partner will spur you into action and encourage you to stick to the goals and commitments you’ve made.
I created our business & life coaching programme with this knowledge in mind so if you need someone to hold you accountable, I’d love to be the guy.
At Oi, our plan 90 workshop helps business owners such as yourself set achievable goals and a live well-balanced and fulfilling life. If you’d like to create a plan that’s achievable and that works for you, sign up for our next session.
