I find that the best plan of action are mission based.
I sit here, and I just pulled out a slip of paper that gives me a topic about something that (at the time) was easy for me to write about. And wow, how appropriately inappropriate. I am currently in day two of tracking my time in order to tweak my schedule for optimal results.
At this point of time. I have no plan of action. I only have two goals in my head and I am jumping on opportunity as it pops up and filling in my audacious, public promises with work in between magical meeting that get me one step forward. So, I started logging my time. Then I was like, "I better remind myself WHY I am doing this." The truth is, in order to work more optimally, you have to be overloaded with work and decide to make the work efficient - because you feel a deep lack. You have have a strong enough desire to inject things into your day that make work, personal life, business, relationships better.
If you work with people you might get this: As a coach, I rely on referrals and demonstrating my knowledge and care to potential clients. As a sports agent, I rely on meeting and making solid (read: trustworthy) relationships with athletes, coaches and gyms. So, MISSION: Get 40 long-term clients. ACTION PLAN: read, write, teach, connect others with opportunity/solutions and get in front of as many relevant people in my niche as possible.
In this case, my AP is a continuous cycle of habitual actions, mixed with a couple of projects like writing and giving a talk (ONE talk, MANY times, in MANY areas) and getting to know other related professionals in my area.
Ok, easy enough.
My action plan is based on my needs that support my mission. There is an old saying, “seeing the forest for the trees.” But if you have goals, you have to first see the forest, see the trees, then examine the leaves and then start planting trees. Work your mission backwards, and you will find actionable steps.
Let’s play with a different scenario; MISSION: CS as a well known brand and service among the weightlifting community. Well that's a Macro-mission right there. BIG steps needs to happen for that to materialize, and Macro-missions typically don’t change. It’s like “Go to the Olympics.” That's a four to twenty year process and there are steps to get there.
So the meso-mission is an important step toward the macro-mission. It’s pretty foundational to the functioning of the macro-mission. In the case of CS, our meso-mission is: Place the athlete, make sure she has a good time and comes home safe and happy.
Ok, NOW we have a micro-mission
Find 2-4 gyms that can take the coach/athlete
Find housing
Negotiate contract (s)
Figure out extra financing
ICE Protocol
Holy cow. Micro mission sure looks like a plan of action doesn’t it? Or you could argue that the steps that materialize the micro missions are the plan of action:
ex:
Find 2-4 gyms that can take the coach/athlete
heartfelt sales email
make good online landing page
go to Berlin
meet with everyone of the gyms you solicited
ground pound until she is placed
Find housing
relentlessly tap into contacts or leads
follow leads
do everything you can to get a place
Negotiate contract(s)
secure contract lawyer
know your own hard figures
find out clients needs
Figure out extra financing
t-shirts
more clients
sponsorship
A plan without a mission is fruitless, busy work and a mission without a plan is a wish.
I’ll say it again: work backwards from your mission. take giant leaps forward and have the audacity to talk about your goals. If you put it out there and work what you can, opportunity and relationship will fill in the parts you can’t take care of. But that boasting only works if you are someone who is true to their word and is extremely bothered about NOT doing what you say you are going to do.
Aslo, seek and merit devine help. Never underestimate the people of asking respected peer what they think. Somewhere in their response is usually a gem. So share your idea and listen.