Home
>
Success
>
Creating an Action Plan

Creating an Action Plan

So you've bought into the idea that you need to live life on purpose. You have an intention; you have goals. You know what you want life to be like five or ten years from now. But taking that first step to make it happen is daunting. Try this.

Look at the big picture and then break it apart like a jigsaw puzzle. Some things you want may be already in place--a loving spouse, a beautiful home, a promising career. Set those aside in a "maintenance" area. Then separate the rest of the puzzle into action steps that you can take, like stepping stones, to fill in the missing pieces and reach the result you desire. You want the "yet to be accomplished" items in small pieces that you can see are doable. Even if you don't know everything that needs to be done, start now.

List everything you can think of that will have to be done to bring each piece of the puzzle into fruition--to make it real. This will help you decide which ones to work on first. For instance, one of the pieces might be: "Get a degree." Some things in your action plan might be:

1. Talk with someone in Human Resources where you work to see if the company will pay for any courses.

2. Get college catalogs.

3. Talk with a counselor to set up a program. What are the required courses and when are they offered? Can any work experience count for college credit to shorten the classroom time?

4. Get family support. Talk with your spouse, if any, about this new outside activity to gain support. What will it take in class and study time? What will you and the family gain from this activity? What if there is resistance? You need a contingency plan. Drill down. If your spouse refuses to cooperate, what are the alternatives?

Classes during work hours

Correspondence courses

Courses on the Internet for credit

Delay start of courses

You have choices. Sort out your alternatives. Know your options. As you show that you are determined and will not neglect your family responsibilities, chances are that the spouse's attitude will soften. While they may still withhold full support, they may make some concessions.

At this point, you are trying to better define what needs to be done and when. If there are any shortcuts, now is the time to uncover them. You won't know everything that will need to be done. That's okay. Your list will change and grow as you learn more. Just find the first step and take it.

Jo Condrill is an acclaimed author, speaker and consultant. She is the author of "Take Charge of Your Life: Dare to Pursue Your Dreams," "101 Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills Instantly," and "From Book Signing to Best Seller." As a civilian supervisor at the Pentagon, she received the highest civilian award one can achieve, the US Army Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service. Jo shares her unique experiences in seminars and speeches on leadership, team building, personal development, and success strategies. http://www.goalminds.com

Ancona limousine airport .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare

In The News:

Recent reports show many common passwords can be cracked in literally seconds. Kurt the CyberGuy explains how to strengthen your passwords.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Iron, a robot that stands 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs 154 pounds, combines advanced artificial intelligence with human-like movement and exceptional vision.

Hertz, the rental car giant, recently confirmed that customer information was exposed through a cyberattack on one of its software vendors.

There are a number of features with AirPods you may or may not know about to take your listening experience to the next level. Kurt the CyberGuy explains.

These 35 Chrome extensions have privacy and security concerns. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says to delete them now.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says 329,000 mph fusion rocket promises to be fast, disruptive and enable deep-space missions.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says a new autonomous AI is a game changer that also raises privacy risks. Is your data safe?

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says robots and drones are revolutionizing fruit farming with faster picking and smarter handling.

Landmark Admin revises May 2024 cyberattack scope to show twice as many people were affected. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson gives tips to help stay safe from an insurance data breach.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how Yamaha’s hydrogen outboard motor could revolutionize boating with zero emissions.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how to memorialize or remove a deceased loved one’s Facebook account and protect their digital legacy from misuse or scams.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says an Apple Watch saved psychiatrist Amanda Faulkner by detecting deadly leukemia early.

Scammers and fraudsters are increasingly targeting the most vulnerable, especially nursing homes and the personal data of their residents. Kurt the CyberGuy has safety tips.

Infected USB flash drives can spread malware among multiple organizations in ways that can easily bypass traditional security systems.

With a fully automated warehouse system and AI-powered robots, Ocado's Hive picks, packs and delivers grocery store orders in just a few minutes.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Recycling robots are using artificial intelligence to learn how to sort recyclables by recognizing patterns in colors, textures, shapes and logos.

The Reachy 2 robot is designed to be friendly and approachable, inviting natural interaction and is perfect for research, education and experimenting with embodied AI.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson shares several easy ways to keep your credit cards safe from digital thieves while you're traveling this summer.

Arcturus sets up cameras around the edges of baseball stadiums to capture real-time action and generate a 3D digital clone of the game.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

The CyberGuy explains why healthcare organizations are vulnerable to hackers after there have been a half dozen data breaches this year.

Developed at two California universities, the innovative technology combines brain-computer interfaces with advanced AI to decode neural activity into audible speech.

Creating an Action Plan

Success