Have a Great Plan? Without Answering These 2 Questions You Don’t.

My Inc.com article today, “Have a Great Plan? Without Answering These 2 Questions You Don’t.” begins

Have a Great Plan? Without Answering These 2 Questions You Don’t.

Plans are easy. Executing them is harder and takes a lot longer–and not for what you can plan for. Here’s how to prepare for the unexpected.

A client showed me his ambitious plan for professional development. It showed he had developed a lot, learned his values, learned what he was capable of, set high standards, and listed many SMART goals.

He also said it would entail more than an hour a day every day for the rest of the year–237 days at the time, since he included weekends. I know almost no one who added 237 hours of work on 237 consecutive days just out of the blue (though my posting on my blog daily for over five years and going and doing burpees every day for over four years qualifies).

I want him to succeed. My job as a coach is to help. I asked him if he imagined any problems that could prevent him from finishing and how he might handle them. He’s progressed so much so far that I was surprised he answered

I have to work every day for the rest of the year (will not be a problem)

and

Hurdles… Me being lazy (will not happen)

That’s it. No allowances for sickness, etc. I like the intensity of his enthusiasm, but it can’t last 237 days. He may do everything he plans, and I will help maximize the chances of it, but it won’t be sheer enthusiasm that gets him over the line.

Read the rest at Have a Great Plan? Without Answering These 2 Questions You Don’t.

Leave a Reply