P.L.A.N. for your future.

It's long been said, "Fail to plan and you plan to fail".

With all the buzzwords around success, the planning of actions remains consistent. We can repackage, rename, and re-examine all the steps to success. We can talk about anything from paradigms to post-modernism. We can look to all the exceptions to all the current rules. Through every "new" way of thinking this truth will always remain. Success is the result of planning. Whether it was smart planning or a plan that ushered in a smart product, with no plan you cannot succeed.

Feel free to chime in now. Tell us about how you didn't plan and everything worked out great for you. The successful people who make it look easy are brilliant. The thing is, they don't know how they know what they know, they just know. Yes, that was a mouthful.

To some the next step is so obvious that anything else would be absurd. These folks are rare, and should be listened to. Like a natural athlete, or a child prodigy, they are born with this ability. They don't realize that they are able to plan with out much time spent thinking. It would be easy if all of us were like this, unfortunately, very few are gifted in this way.

The rest of us must learn to plan or we will always fall short.
Here is my definition of planning.
Predetermined Livelihood Applied Neatly.

Predetermined: This is a plan right? Take the time to figure out your actions before the moment of response is upon you. You don't want to lose an opportunity because you were unprepared do you? Take the time to predetermine you plan of action. Seek guidance when necessary(as much as possible if you are wondering when is it necessary).

Livelihood: You must be able to actually do what you have set out to do. Secondly since you planned ahead, make it something you enjoy doing. Planning allows you to take a break from stress, and just live. A prepared person can relax in moments of action and just perform. It's good to think on your feet. It's better to plan ahead and not have to do anything by the seat of your pants.

Applied: What you have set out to do, that you know you can and will enjoy, do. Simple, Do it.

Neatly: Keep it organized, keep is simple. You should be able to explain it to a 4th grader if you have planned it out clear enough(not the particulars, but the basics).

We can continue in the dark, or we can walk with confidence knowing we are prepared.

Start immediately, Take the time and work on whatever keeps worrying you.
A proposal? A bill? A project? Plan out your actions and take the first step, you will work smarter, play harder and rest easier when you have a plan in place.