Plan for Success in 2015

Have you developed your plan for success in 2015?

As the saying goes, if you fail to plan and you plan to fail. Planning is essential for success in your careers and personal lives.

Planning is difficult because there is no immediate feedback as to its value. However, I like to prepare for most activities in my life that aim to succeed at in the same way I think of my bike rides in during early to mid-fall or spring. By doing so, purpose and advantages of planning become clearer for me.

As an avid cyclist, I never know what to expect on my rides during early to mid-fall or spring for example sudden change in weather, a flat tire due to excessive silt, road construction mistakes in maps, among other things. Consequently, I plan ahead for these eventualities and should they occur I am usually able to deal with them and still reach my objective in spite of temporary setbacks. On the other hand, lack of planning can spell disaster. The more careful the planning, the more likely problems will be anticipated and not allowed to interfere with your ultimate objective.

Here are seven things you can do to plan for success in 2014:

1. Go to a quiet place, where you can think without being interrupted.

2. Conduct a self-audit. Go through your life thoroughly. What is your gift? What do you want to succeed at in 2015 and beyond? What is your passion? (i.e., something you would love to do even if you were not paid to do it.)

3. Write it down. Most of the people who have achieved their dreams took the first step towards achieving them: they wrote them down.

4. Plan a route to get there. Write down whatever it will take you to reach your dream.

5. Put your piece of paper where you can see it and remind yourself of your goals.

6. Work your plan. Put it into action by following the route to your dream. It may mean adjusting a lot of things in your life, but it will be worth it one day.

7. Dismiss negativity and begin to speak of your success in 2015 and beyond in the present. This will assimilate into your mind and help you to persevere towards your dream.

Remember if you fail to plan and you plan to fail. Be the exception to the rule - plan, assess, and plan some more. You MUST have a clear goal and a well-defined methodology for getting there. Take all the time necessary to produce a well thought out strategic plan. Plan for your success but also plan for failure.

About Me

Mark McKenzie is a leading Subject Matter Expert in financial services regulation and supervision as well as a professional motivational speaker, corporate trainer and youth mentor.  He can be contacted by email mastbmckenzie@gmail.com or by telephone 647-406-4622. Read my blog http://mastbmckenzie.blogspot.ca/ and always write me a comment and share. Follow me on Twitter @mackynacky. Connect with me on www.youtube.com, Google+, Facebook and Linkedin.