When you want or need to accomplish something, chances are you are both mentally and emotionally invested in seeing it come to fruition. Whether you are looking to make connections at a networking event, launching a new product or service out into the marketplace, or even conducting a meeting at work, your chances of seeing it culminate in success are highest if you begin with the end in mind.
A Tried and Tested Way of Working
The concept of starting something – anything – by first thinking through how you want it to end is not a new one. It is a methodology that has been championed by countless motivational speakers and teachers; perhaps the most well-known one of which is Dr. Stephen Covey. He is one of the most well-known time management, productivity, and habit-forming authors and speakers of all time, and his 7 Habits books are bestsellers that have helped millions of people solidify success and happiness in their professional and personal lives.
He says of beginning with the end in mind: “People are working harder than ever, but because they lack clarity and vision, they aren’t getting very far. They, in essence, are pushing a rope with all of their might.” Beginning with the end in mind is essentially the ability to envision in your mind what you cannot at present see with your eyes. It is based on the principle that all things are created twice. There is a mental (first) creation, and a physical (second) creation. The physical creation follows the mental, just as a building follows a blueprint.”
You Need More Than Just A Vague Plan
Just like professional athletes need a game strategy to come out on top in competition, you need to have a game plan to achieve whatever desired business result you are aiming for. This goes beyond just thinking about what you hope will happen and reaches into intense intentionality and detailed planning territory.
If you truly take time to consider the end result that you are pushing toward – whether it is getting a new ideal client or making a clutch networking connection, or creating systems and processes to successfully onboarding new employees – you can use that crystal clear goal to create a step-by-step, foolproof plan to get there. It is worth also mentioning here that the best plans are ones that you don’t have to tackle alone.
If you have done a thorough job of clearly outlining every step of the process, then those on you support team will be able to quickly and easily come alongside you to shoulder the load when needed. Not only does this remove stress and pressure from your shoulders, but it also can create a tidal wave of positive teamwork and shared enthusiasm in your place of business that creates an atmosphere of shared glory and success. When people feel like they have ownership in something, they are much more likely to dedicate time, energy, and their best selves to seeing it come to fruition.
Achieving this camaraderie and teamwork depends on the power of the plan you put into place. Give yourself and others a weak plan to follow, and soon your enthusiasm and discipline will wane. There is also no accountability with a weak and vague plan, and accountability is an important piece of any plan. Create instead a dynamic, detailed, and actionable plan, and you will soon find yourself barreling unhindered toward that elusive end result you carefully envisioned and worked hard to reach.
Spend Your Time Just as Carefully as Your Money
Once you have your plan in place and you are working with your end goal in mind, keep your schedule and your to-do list as free from distractions as possible. Everything you put your attention toward is time spent that you cannot get back, just like with your money. Once you spend it, it is gone. We all spend our valuable time however we spend it, every second of every day. You can either let your time drip away from you without even realizing how much of it has been lost, or you can intentionally invest your time in the direction of your dreams. If you always spend your time on things that are truly your priorities, then you will have created a situation in which you are best set up to reach your goals. Choose to spend your time just as wisely as you spend your hard-earned money.
Entrepreneur.com said it well in a recent article when they wrote, “The truth is that time is the greatest equalizer in life. No matter who you are, your age, income, gender, race or religion, you have the same amount of time as the next person. Whether you’re filthy rich or dirt poor, your time is the same. It’s not about how much time you have. It’s about how effectively you manage the time you’ve been given.”
If you want to implement this concept with your next project or event, begin by visualizing exactly how you want that special something to culminate. Define what success looks like to you, then work backwards to visualize the steps needed to reach that end goal. You can even type out a detailed roadmap and hang it somewhere you can focus on it every day.
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Could you use a different or better game plan or play book to make even more progress on your goals? Consider working with The Accountability Coach. I’m here to help you accelerate your results, so you can enjoy your ideal business and ideal life! Reach out today for your complimentary consultation.
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