Planning and Preparing to Reach Your Goals
I am a huge fan of the Track & Field events at the Olympics and am super excited to watch over the next couple of weeks. Honestly, I can get a little obsessed with these events. Although my personal running history is more like “running to the store”, I've consistently had runners in my life. When I was a kid my dad ran marathons, and for 12 high school seasons one of my kids ran Cross Country and Track & Field.
Here’s what I observed about runners:
• They are dedicated and committed to being all in, especially the mental aspect of training and performance.
• They may compete on a team but the true competition for runners is to beat their personal record.
• They focus on tweaking and improving that PR, which is more important than where they place in the race.
• They do the work and have realistic expectations, understanding what they can and cannot control.
• They get clear on the necessary steps and develop a rhythm that gets them the outcome they want.
Right out of college, my first full-time job was in Denver working for a small entrepreneurial company that managed races - mostly 10k's, but some marathons as well.
My first full-time job was as an operations manager for a small entrepreneurial company
I can see now how that set me up for what I do today. I eventually moved into the corporate sector, but I had developed a soft spot for the entrepreneurial world from my time in Denver. There were only 3 employees, a few interns and the "weekend warriors" that worked the actual races. The control, the freedom and the impact I was making seemed much more close-up and real.
As the Operations Manager, I oversaw the registration and scoring for every race. And these were the days of snail mail and hand written registrations. The only other option was to show up with your forms in person at sporting goods and running stores around Denver.
At any given time, I could be juggling a dozen or more races at once
We held races nearly every weekend. For each race, I set up a timeline, so I knew when we needed to have race packets ready and when we needed to schedule times to receive registrations at the local stores, and anything else necessary for things to go smoothly. At any given time, I could be juggling a dozen or more races at once, but each race was in its own phase of the timeline.
If you don’t necessarily relate to running, another place in my life that requires similar structure is meal planning. There are 6 of us in the house these days and it’s pretty common for us to have an extra guest or two. Having to wing it and put a meal together for that many people at the last minute is stressful.
Every Thursday night I sit at the dinner table and we discuss what we want to eat the next week as a family. I provide the key resources - grocery store circulars. Everyone present takes part in the planning by going through the sales, giving feedback and making requests and suggestions. I either take out the required recipes I need or search for new ones. I go grocery shopping on Fridays to get what we need for the week with the detailed list we drafted the night before.
And the system works like clockwork. There’s no scrambling at the last minute to throw something together, aka cereal or PB & J. I know exactly what I have to do and when I have to have it done.
Helping my client create a plan, set up a strategy to take realistic action, and achieve their goals one step at a time
And now here I am, in my post-corporate career, helping my clients do that very same thing - to create a plan, set up a strategy to take realistic action, and achieve their goals one step at a time. I show them how to set up a timeline, identify necessary tasks to complete so that they can implement their vision. Together we develop a success structure to keep them accountable for getting things done.
If that type of organization for your business planning is what you’re looking for, check out my next Path of Action Accountability Group. There are only 6 seats. In this group you'll receive 1:1 support from me personally. I’m a seasoned business strategist who focuses on prioritizing goals and creating plans. The program is 12 weeks of accountability and support around execution, and learning how to set yourself up for success. Message me today to save your seat!
P.S. Ready to stop spinning in place and get to the other side of your goals? Here are several ways I can help:
Download my free weekly planning guide - it will help you become more intentional with your time, develop a clear action plan for your week, and ensure that you are focusing on activities that will move your business forward - Download Now
Join our next CEO Power Planning Session and spend two and a half hours ON your business. During this facilitated workshop, you’ll set and prioritize your next 12-week goals, break them down into an executable action plan and create a resource plan - Join the Wait List
Apply for the next Close the Gap Program and stay on track to achieve your most important goals. 1:1 support and guidance on prioritizing goals, creating a plan and putting structure and routines in place. Then 12 weeks of group support around execution - Apply today