Planning for Success

The purpose of having an analytical brain is to use it to think and make a plan before we act.

Acting spontaneously out of fear, revenge, spite, anger and a host of other emotions is a sure-fire way to set yourself up for failure.

If you plan your moves in advance your chances of success are increased. The most successful chess players do this.

By reacting to outside influences you will always be controlled by those influences.

By being pro-active you are dictating the terms. It doesn't matter what field you are in - business, a personal relationship, sport, a hobby - planning ahead will always bring about better results. But how many people are prepared to devote time and effort to creating a plan and then execute that plan?

So many people drift through life without a plan. They go to work to pay the bills to go to work to pay the bills and so on. Their days are full of routine and they have to act in accordance to the demands of other people. Does that sound like anybody you know?

The happiest people are the ones who do not believe that they even have a job. Sure, they work. However, what they do is so important or entertaining to them that they would do it without being paid. Some people fall into this naturally. Others can plan their way into such a life.

If you are dis-satisfied with where you are or what you are doing then do something about it. Life is very short. Every day is precious. As you get older you will realize this. To be trapped in a situation that is painful to you will cause misery.

It is easy to plan your way into something, or out of something. All you have to do is take a sheet of paper and write at the bottom where you are now and at the top where you want to be. Writing where you want to be at the top of the page is important because it shows ascendancy. In other words, it is at the top of your ladder. To get from where you are you need to climb the ladder.

At various intervals between the bottom and top of that sheet of paper you will mark points that represent significant steps along the journey. It's much the same as planning a journey to another city. You wouldn't just get in your car and drive. No. You would get out a map then drive from your current position to the next town, then the next and so on until you eventually got to your destination.

Why should life planning be any different? Without a plan you are doomed to mediocrity or failure. You can plan whatever you want. But it must be on paper. Keeping things in your head will ensure that nothing gets done. On paper, where you can see it makes a plan real.

You can plan anything. Get the paper, get the pen. Think out the plan. Write the plan. Act on it and it will become reality. Millions of people have. Billions of people don't bother. You can do it. Happy planning.

About the author: Gary Simpson is the author of eight books covering a diverse range of subjects such as self esteem, affirmations, self defense, finance and much more. His articles appear all over the web. Gary's email address is budo@iinet.net.au. Click here to go to his Motivation & Self Esteem for Success website where you can receive his "Zenspirational Thoughts" plus an immediate FREE copy of his highly acclaimed, life-changing e-book "The Power of Choice."

In The News:


Forbes

Is Everest Climber's Death A Case Of Goal Setting Gone Terribly Wrong?
Forbes
But what about more quotidian examples of goal-setting and their effects on our well-being? Does choosing to metaphorically scale Everest make us stronger and more resilient or do pie-in-the-sky ambitions set us up for failure and disappointment?

and more »

Focus Your Ambitions with the Lifehacker Hierarchy of Goals
Lifehacker
Once you commit to a framework to prioritize your goals and cut the junk, achieving your goals gets a lot more realistic. Here's one way to do it. If you're anything like me you have a ton of goals. Unfortunately, compulsive goal setting can be a major ...

and more »

Goal setting is an art form
Naples Daily News
By JAN KANTOR Goal setting is the art that makes everything else achievable. It gives you energy, focuses your talent and structures your time. To be successful, you must be goal directed. Once you have set goals, you have a script for meeting ...


Goal-line technology to be tested during England friendly
CNN
Forty-six years later, the same London stadium will provide the setting for a major test of pioneering goal-line technology (GLT), that could revolutionize the game of football forever. British firm "Hawk-eye" employ a series of cameras mounted inside ...

and more »

US MNT Opens Five-Game 'Tournament' Against Scotland On Saturday, May 26
PaddockTalk
Clint Dempsey is coming off a record-setting season for a US international in England, recording his 50th English Premier League goal and setting a single-season mark for league goals scored (17) and goals in all competitions (23).

and more »

AUA 2012 - The absence of goal setting in the dialogue between metastatic ...
UroToday
In this study, the investigators endeavored to understand how metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients and their physicians discuss treatment goals. In this study, the authors received institutional review-board approval, ...


Workers Can Showcase Goals and Accomplishments on Twitter, LinkedIn With ...
San Francisco Chronicle (press release)
This latest release brings social accounts integration to the Personal Edition's goal setting and career management mix. With that, WorkSimple's Personal Edition now empowers you to showcase your accomplishments and impact via LinkedIn and Twitter.

and more »

Washington Times

Dwayne De Rosario nears 100 goals in MLS
Washington Times
He's scoring goals, setting up goals, and as always, doing it his amazing unique style. At the moment, there is no better player in Major League Soccer. When De Rosario is on top of his game, he is a joy to watch. There's his bicycle kicks, ...

and more »

Prep roundup: Record-setting Blazers 1 win away
Dubuque Telegraph Herald
The Iowa Class 1A top-ranked Trailblazers got a game-winning goal from Travis Gudenkauf in the 66th minute to give Beckman a 3-2 victory over Postville in a substate semifinal in Dyersville, Iowa. An online service is needed to view this article in its ...

and more »

Goals first order of business for Galesburg City Council
Galesburg Register-Mail
By GARY TOMLIN The Galesburg City Council will address the somewhat contentious goal setting process and implementation at a work session tonight. The two item work session agenda is to discuss goals prioritization and review the 2013 budget calendar.
City Council Talks Goals TonightWGIL Radio News

all 5 news articles »
Google News

Set Goals In Life

It is important to set goals in life. To accomplish... Read More

Achieve Your Goals By Eating The Frog And The Elephant

Brian Tracy, the great motivational guru, often suggests that people... Read More

Achieving Impossible Goals By Ignoring The Experts

"If the world were to blow itself up the last... Read More

Set Your Mind To Win!

Have you ever heard someone say, I could do it... Read More

7 Effective Ways To Set Your Goals In Motion Today

1. Stop seeking approval from people.You don't need anyone's permission... Read More

If Wishes Were Horses Then Beggars Would Ride!

And if Bull frogs had wings they wouldn't bump their... Read More

Personal Goal Setting and Management - Planning for the Year Ahead

The start of a New Year is a great time... Read More

Achieving Your Goals by Using One Word

One of my favorite techniques for achieving goals is to... Read More

How To Score Your Own Goals With Sarah

Do you know where your company is going? Do you... Read More

The Psychology Of Success

Everybody has a dream. A fantasy, if you like. Usually... Read More

How Clear is Your Vision?

Wouldn't it be nice to know that there is a... Read More

Six Keys To Build Vision - Point Six

6.Recognise that all vision has seasonal components within it· Vision... Read More

Settling For More

You have enormous promise! Why compromise?I once heard one self-professed... Read More

Goals - If You Don?t Know What You Want, Then How Are You Going to Get It?

Recently, I spoke with a client who wanted me to... Read More

Clarity and Self Improvement ? Why We Must Know What We Want

One of the biggest reasons that many people have trouble... Read More

Discovering Your Values

In the last newsletter we talked about 'Your Reason Why',... Read More

Achieving Elusive Goals

Everyone has something in their life that they would like... Read More

Get More Done!

Have you ever heard the old saying If you want... Read More

How to Achieve More by Dealing with Resistance

Today I want to discuss the missing link in goal... Read More

Reach Your Goals - Goal-Pooling

Goal-pool with friends or acquaintances Get together with a group... Read More

Fear the Future? Dont.

In one sense there are three parts of our lives.... Read More

Manifesting Your Dreams and Desires

What are your dreams?Are you in a place in your... Read More

The Painless Solution To Procrastination

I have a confession to make. Once upon a time,... Read More

Personal Development - The Plan

(excerpted from the Jim Rohn One-Year Success Plan - Week... Read More

Vocalized Goals + Action = Realized Dreams

Do you have a dream? Is there something you want... Read More