Break It Down

Now it’s time to get down to the essentials of building a strong strategy. This is time to get specific. It’s okay for your vision to be a bit more broad. It can be built upon and refined over time as the details begin to fall into place. These details are what’s needed in order for everything to come together. Tips to help you implement specifics into your planning include incorporating time frames, deciding who will help you or be affected by your actions, figuring out what resources you’ll need, determining where to obtain those resources and knowing how you will measure your progress. Adding as many particulars to your plan as possible will increase its chance of success and help you to stay on course.

You should be recording your plan, either with pen and paper or digitally. You’ll want to refer back to it as a reminder or as an accountability tool to be sure you’re on track. Break it down further by writing an action plan for each and every goal you decide to pursue. Knowing how you will get there is half the battle, remember? Don’t let this intimidate you. Writing out a plan for each goal isn’t overwhelming. It actually helps you to narrow your focus and avoid that feeling of an endeavor being too big to conquer.

Do some research and make a list in order to lay out steps and resources you’ll need to accomplish a particular task. For example, if your goal is to start your own freelance graphic design business, list out all you’ll need to do so. If you already have the skills of a graphic designer, that’s one thing you won’t have to put on your to-do list. However, obtaining a solid education may actually be your first step. See why I said you’ll need to do some research. Other items on such a list might be to create a business name, obtain a permit, get the funding for equipment and marketing costs, hit up your network for client leads and create a website to showcase your skills.

The above example should set you on your way for creating your own list. The important thing to keep in mind is to be as specific as possible, to research anything you don’t know or fully understand and to list it out step-by-step. Being clear about your goals and their progression is just as crucial to your success as your clarity of vision.