A Simple Approach To Planning That Accelerates Your Growth

This photo above is me using my One & Done Planning Method to plan the results I want to create this week… notice I didn’t say I’m making my to do list for the week.

There’s a huge difference!

When you plan the result and exactly when you will produce it, you have created what I call a “strategic circumstance”.

Exchange a “To Do” Mindset For a “Strategic Circumstances” Perspective

Strategic circumstances empower you to learn and grow—whether you succeed or fail at creating the result in the planned time period.

For example, on Thursday at 1:30pm I have planned to create the result of a delivered How to Stop Overthinking workshop.

The participants will know my 7-step Decision-Making Pathway(TM) and they will have been introduced to my Empowered Transformation Process that can be leveraged to become the business owner who quickly and confidently makes decisions that move the needle in their business (and life).

They will recognize that second-guessing their decision if they don’t get the expected result is optional (and have a much better alternative to beating themselves up for making a “bad” decision).

That’s a result I’m so excited to create!

Break Down The Ultimate Result Into Milestones and Micro Results

There are other smaller related results I planned to create that will lead to me creating that big result on Thursday.

Those include:

• Monday 4/25 from 4-4:30 pm – Outline Finished

• Monday 4/25 from 4:30 – 5:30 pm – Slide Deck Created

• Tuesday 4/26 1:00 – 2:00 pm Presentation Practiced

• Tuesday 4/26 4:00 – 5:00 pm Slides Edited

• Thursday 4/28 10:00 – 11:00 am – Practice Workshop In Zoom Setting

• Thursday 4/28 12:00 – 1:30 pm – Workshop and Q&A Delivered

Why Schedule Results For A Specific Time?

The power of the One & Done Planning Method is having a specific time planned to create a specific result.

If 4 pm comes and I do something else besides creating my workshop outline, I will know I’m procrastinating.

This gives me the ability to recognize that and address why I’m not doing what I planned.

By catching it in the moment and dealing with the thoughts and feelings driving the procrastination, I can get myself back on track to create my desired outcome (without trying to force myself to white-knuckle my way through the anxiety, overwhelm or uncertainty fueling the urge to do something else).

When you work off a to do list, it’s easy to rationalize delaying taking action.

“I’ll get to that when I’m more inspired,” “Tomorrow will be less hectic, I’ll do it then” and other excuses fly right under the radar of your conscious awareness.

And it becomes easy to keep delaying what you planned and not be aware of the real reasons why you are delaying it.

With the One & Done Method, if 5 o’clock comes and I don’t have a finished slide deck, I can figure out why from a place of compassion, curiosity and understanding (not by beating the crap out of myself).

• Did I not allow enough time?

• Did I not have my content clearly planned?

• Did I get wrapped around the mental axel of perfectionism?

• Was I trying to numb out anxious feelings about the workshop?

The specific results planned for a specific time will reveal why I created it or why I didn’t. That data lets me learn and improve for next time.

What Might Trip You Up When Implementing This Strategy

My ability to use this strategy has evolved over the past few years.

When I was first introduced to a version of this strategy during my coach certification, I avoided it altogether.

At that time, my self-concept required me to strive for perfection. Failure to meet exceedingly high expectations left me feeling defeated and being really harsh with myself. And I lacked the skill of processing my emotions effectively.

I would give in to the urge to numb out the fear, anxiety and overwhelm with doing something safer. And then when my procrastination guaranteed I wouldn’t achieve my goal, I would use that as evidence that I wasn’t capable of achieving my goal.

As I renewed my mind and increased my skills, I transformed my relationship with myself, perfection, processing emotions and my ability to tolerate and learn from failure grew stronger.

As it did I also evolved the planning strategy into something that helped me work on those things as much as my business and personal outcomes. And I continue to grow and develop using my One & Done Planning Method.

I share that backstory so you will be aware of the things that may trip you up when you first try this strategy.

If you struggle with perfectionism and beating yourself up if you don’t achieve exactly what you set out to do, this strategy will feel excruciating at first.

However, that doesn’t mean you should avoid using it!

It just means you need to have the right support and learn some foundational skills to help you transform the conversation you have with yourself when you don’t do what you planned or don’t get the expected result.

When I changed my relationship with myself, I was able to offer myself compassion instead of judgment, curiosity instead of second-guessing, and I quit requiring myself to meet ridiculous expectations perfectly. Now, I’m able to harness more of the power of this strategy.

And, how did I build the foundation that allowed me to embrace this powerful planning and productivity strategy?

I first used the One & Done Method to help me learn how to create a safe, grace-filled space for myself to:

• be imperfect,

• fail to create the result at the planned time and learn why,

• discover why I regularly overestimated what I could accomplish in a certain time block and learn what my actual capabilities were.

I learned how to not make the reality of what I accomplished (or didn’t) mean anything about my worth as an entrepreneur or a person.

Using my One & Done Planning Method became a tool for healing my relationship with myself, perfectionism and failure.

And THAT has been game-changing to not only my business but my overall fulfillment with all areas of my life.

Give It A Try And Let Me Know How It Goes

What is one result will you create this week that will move the needle on your big business goal?

When, specifically, will you have the result created?

What smaller micro results will you need to create to make that big result inevitable?

When will you create those?

Be committed to creating the result but open to learning from not achieving the exact result you were going for in the time frame you planned. What can you learn from either outcome?

Want to transform your relationship with perfectionism, failure and creating results?

I can help you do that. Apply for a free Breakthrough Session and let’s explore how coaching can help you.