Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

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March 4, 2008

Why It Takes a Personal Plan to Be Outstandingly Successful

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 7:41 am

Plan Your Work, Work Your Plan

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The road to success — We’ve all heard of that one. Do the things everyone does and you’ll probably get to something that’s . . . well, . . . not broken. But if you want to be successful and outstanding. Doing what everyone does won’t get you there . . . because to be outstanding, by necessity, you have to be individual.

To do stand and shine as uniquely valuable, a business or an individual needs a road that leads in a singular direction.

Note that I used the word leads.

A Plan to Be Irresistibly, Outstandingly Successful

Any effective, efficient project, business, or life has structure and direction. It starts with a destination — literal or figurative — and then a route to get there. Without a plan, we leave ourselves open to winds that push us toward distractions or detours. A plan, well thought and well provided for is the only way to get where we want to that shining end point.

Have a plan and work the plan is sage advice.

Why It Takes a Personal Plan to Be Outstandingly Successful

Last week we talked about making decisions. Here are the reasons that outstanding success demands a plan.

  1. If we don’t have a plan, we’re just wishing.
  2. If we don’t have a plan, we’re always here and success is always out there.
  3. Without a plan, we have no direction. Any road will take us anywhere, but we won’t end up there.
  4. Without a plan, every decision is likely to have as much power as a whim.
  5. A plan is the only way to benchmark our progress and to build on what we’ve accomplished.
  6. A plan is keeps us focused when other ideas tempt us away from our dreams.

Decide. Plan. Get determined. The plan makes a dream into an outstandingly success. It’s the plan — the decisions and determination — that fuels the reality. Distractions are easier to disregard when we can hold them up to a plan we know we can achieve.

Without a plan, we’re always getting ready to succeed. Christine Kane says it eloquently.

“How will you go the long, long journey,
if you’re always about to begin?” — Christine Kane, Falling in Love with the Wind

If you want to be outstandingly successful, plan for it. Outstanding is a stake in the ground that we keep our eyes on. It’s a path that we plot for the life that we want. It’s as easy as a decision.

Have you planned outstanding success into your life?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
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14 Comments to “Why It Takes a Personal Plan to Be Outstandingly Successful”

  1. March 4th, 2008 at 7:56 am
    Karin H. said

    Hi Liz

    The plan makes a dream into an outstandingly success

    ;-) reminds me of one of my favourite quotes from my dear friend:
    “Start with thinking big, you’ll get there in the end, even with small steps. But start by thinking big.”

    Oh so true - and ’simple’

    Karin H. (Keep It Simple Sweetheart, specially in business)

  2. March 4th, 2008 at 8:15 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Karin!
    I’ve noticed how what was thinking big just a little while ago is not so big today. Big thoughts lead to big accomplishments that lead to bigger goals. :)

  3. March 4th, 2008 at 8:21 am
    Karin H. said

    Perpetuum Mobile ;-)

    Karin H

  4. March 4th, 2008 at 10:50 am
    Aruni said

    So true Liz. It is often hard to plan when there are so many moving parts. One thing to keep in mind is that even though you have a plan don’t be afraid to change it when new information surfaces.

  5. March 4th, 2008 at 10:55 am
    Karin H. said

    That’s a good plan Aruni, one I fully agree and abide with.

    Karin H.

  6. March 4th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
    Rob Moshe said

    “If you fail to plan, then plan to fail”

    Why do palm trees weather great storms?
    They have deep roots and a flexible trunk.

    Make sure your plans set a solid foundations for your future success, but remember that you also have to be adaptable in the face major obstacles.

  7. March 4th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Aruni!
    Yeah, a plan sets our direction, but new information can change that plan. Sometimes we have to remember to — STOP — and rethink the whole thing when that new information comes along. :)

  8. March 4th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Rob!
    That solid foundation combined with the flexibility is what holds us up when the hurricanes come. I agree.

    Key is to have a plan and keep our head in the game. :)

  9. March 4th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
    Howard Cox said

    Liz,

    How true!

    I teach a course called the Organizational Deadly Sins. One of the sins is the Busyness Sin.

    We commit the busyness sin when we confuse activity with productivity. Not having a plan is a major contributor this problem.

    The solution to this confusion is having a goal. If you have a goal you can measure if your activity is moving you closer to your goal and therefore productive.

    Thanks for taking the time to Blog, I love your work.

    Howard

  10. March 4th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Howard!
    Yeah, I call that perceived productivity. I see a lot of that on the Internet.

    I worry about folks who don’t know how to reach out clients. Unconsciously, they busy themselves doing things around their blog, because it makes them feel like they’re working hard. But it doesn’t get them paid.

  11. March 6th, 2008 at 6:35 am
    @Stephen said

    Great post and lively comments. My own personal plan is going to get a massive overhaul as part of my Quarterly Review. My wife keeps moving her goalposts, and we need to have a serious discussion about that.

  12. March 6th, 2008 at 6:53 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Stephen!
    Keeping our goalposts in view and moving toward them is important. Moving them can be good if we’re thinking about it, not so good if we’re just moving them. :)

  13. March 7th, 2008 at 7:26 am
    maggie said

    Your post is right on. If you don’t know where you are heading you are less likely to go in a straight line.

  14. March 9th, 2008 at 7:06 am
    Sunday Link Love | Writer's Resource Center said

    [...] Why It Takes a Personal Plan to Be Outstandingly Successful [...]

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