The secret to accomplishing anything

If you are a sports fan, you have heard this phrase before.  That team knows how to win. Did you ever think about what that means? It means they walk into a game with a plan and can adjust to meet the challenges they face.

It all starts with a plan. Yep– The Secret is a plan.  Here is the thing about secrets.  They are not really secrets, they are just things people refuse to do.

Benjamin Franklin is credited with saying. Failing to plan is planning to fail”

It is backed up with a bible verse  Proverbs 4 verse 26 “Ponder the path of your feet and let all your ways be established.” NKJV.

Some argue that planning doesn’t work.  They often say things like.

“When Man Plans, God Laughs”.

This is used as a reason not to plan.

Now there is a sense of overplanning or you get stuck in analysis paralysis. That does not do us any good either.

But there is a sweet spot between creating a plan and being prepared that things will happen to disrupt the plan.  

I saw this story Tyler Perry told about his journey from fear of flying to owning his own planes and becoming a pilot.

We know that with intention comes disruption.  This tends to keep us from moving to the level we should be.

One part of the story. He talked about how he was in the plane during and turbulence was getting bad.  He was getting nervous, it was early on in his lessons.  

He heard a voice coming through his headphones. “Increase altitude and maintain.” although he was nervous.  He did exactly that.  He increased altitude (go higher) and maintained.  And sure enough, he was out of turbulence.

Many people when they hit turbulence go back down or return to where things are comfortable.  Perry’s point and mine is: When disruption follows your intention.  It is time for you to increase effort, not retreat to your former self.  There is comfort sometimes even more comfort on the other side of disruption.

How to apply this:

Let’s start small by deciding what we need to get done tomorrow.  It doesn’t matter what it is.  It could be business related, family related, personal related.  Maybe there is a phone call you need to make or a text message you need to write to a loved one.  A phone call would be better. 

• Take out a sheet of paper or write in your journal.  I will [fill in the blank] Tomorrow.

• To do this I will (Write down the steps needed to accomplish the goal).

For example, I will call my mom tomorrow and tell her I love her.

• To do this I will:

• Make sure my phone is charged

• Find a quiet place

• Call my mom

• Be sure to tell her I love her

• Talk to her about my week:

• I had a great day yesterday. I finished my project

• Etc.

Yes, even create a high level script of what you are going to say and have it handy during the call.

This is what setting a goal and action plan is like.  We are working to build this as a habit. 

For extra credit read a copy of Tiny Habits by BJ Frogg. (Affiliate Link)

The great thing about being human is we can become whoever we want to be.  Start your change today.

Here is to a new tomorrow

Until next time…