Not long ago, my husband Mark and I were in a town we weren’t very familiar with.  From being there a few months prior to this trip, I knew the town had this cute, little restaurant we had passed by.  It was getting close to supper time, so I suggested we go and eat there before going home. 

Mark said, “I don’t know how to get there.”  I said, “Don’t worry, I’ll get us there.”  Mark should have known!  Anytime I say that, it’s time to get real worried. 

In my mind I could picture this quaint and cozy restaurant.  I could even picture the surroundings.  I knew where it was—I just didn’t know how to get there. 

Are you like that with your dream?  Can you picture your dream in your mind?  You have filled in all the details—your dream is so vivid to you.  You know what your dream is—but you don’t know how to get there?

If this describes you, I want you to know you can make your dreams a reality—it just takes a plan.  And the flip side is this:  If you don’t get a plan, it will cost you your dreams!

Lack of planning is very costly—it costs us time and money.  So, how does lack of planning cost us money?  Let’s look at the following example I know you will be able to relate to.

Have you ever had to order a present for Christmas or a birthday?  What did you do?  You put it off!  You knew when you needed it, but you procrastinated.  When you finally couldn’t put if off anymore, you probably had to pay extra to have it delivered.  And if you had to overnight it, your cost may have been fifty times more than the normal postage!  Lack of planning is costly!

Lack of planning also costs us time—not only in the physical sense of the hours and days and weeks we lose, but in precious time robbed from us because our minds are consumed with unfinished tasks.  Let me give you an example.

You need to complete the paperwork for your quarterly taxes, but the deadline isn’t for three more weeks.  You push aside the task—but your brain doesn’t.  Instead, your mind must remember you need to do it.  Until you complete that task, it takes up space and time in your head, which becomes very draining.

Okay, having one thing on your mind you need to do may not seem like a big deal, but usually it doesn’t stop there.  Let’s add three more mind-consuming things you’re putting off—paying bills, making follow-up phone calls from last week’s appointments, and registering for your company’s convention.  Can you feel the weight?  It’s draining you.  Suddenly you feel overwhelmed.  And when you’re overwhelmed you procrastinate.  When you finally decide to “get around” to doing these things, you pay the price, such as a late fee for an overdue payment or a poor location at the trade show or maybe even an IRS audit!

That’s exactly how the majority of people live their lives.  Do you want to live your life differently?  There’s hope for you and that hope is found in a plan.  It takes just a little effort on the front end to get your plan in place, which will yield huge returns for you in the long run.

I did some business coaching with Jennifer who wanted to earn her company's incentive trip.  The requirements had been announced and the deadline set, so we had to take that seemingly huge mountain and break it down into doable steps.  Working together, we created a plan with monthly, weekly, and daily goals.

“Wow,” Jennifer said when we finished.  “It looks much more manageable when you break it down this way.  I can really do this.”  It wasn’t until we broke it down that she got the “wow”!  Her excitement came with the realization that her goals really were attainable. 

Jennifer worked her plan diligently, every single day—she earned that luxurious incentive trip.  What an accomplishment because she had a plan.

How about you?  You can see that dream.  Now, you just need to develop a plan.  Break your goals down into manageable pieces.  What can you implement daily to get you closer to your dream?  Phone calls?  Business opportunity meetings?  Product demonstrations?  Write down your daily action plan and then start diligently working it.

By the way, Mark and I never did find that restaurant!  But, I have total confidence in you, finding the way to your dreams through a plan!

Until next time, develop your plan and then work it!

Tonya Grimes, http://www.tonyagrimes.com

Dynamic Performance Institute, Inc.