Question-Week ending Sunday 02/23/03:
If we were to meet in person today, at this very moment, how many written detailed plans could you show me for the goals you are seeking? Please read our Poll Commentary before taking this poll.

Pre-Poll Commentary:

This week's poll is the sixth in our series of discussions on our Goal Planning System. In this poll, we will be discussing one of the most critical steps in our system - Writing out a detailed plan to achieve your goal.

This is the step where you put all the prior pieces of the puzzle together. By this stage you are totally committed to your goal. You have the burning DESIRE to achieve it and BELIEVE that you can do so. You have WRITTEN exactly what you want to achieve and have described your goal in crystal clear details. You know exactly what the BENEFITS are to yourself or others and did an ANALYSIS of where you are starting from. You have your list of OBSTACLES in hand that you will likely be facing ahead of you. And finally you have listed the PEOPLE and the RESOURCES you must enlist to overcome the obstacles ahead of you.

Whew! I am excited and confident that your goal is going to be achieved without even knowing what it is. You see you need that kind of PASSION to make your goal a reality.

Now it's time to grab a calendar - preferably in a daytime planner or in a contact manager software program and start listing step by step what needs to be done with deadlines:

• Utilize fully all your prior outlines and lists to put your total plan together
• Think in logical order - each major step (objective to achieve) should compliment the next step (objective) in succession
• Be methodical - write out the objectives in as much detail as it takes to fully understand what needs to be done
• Set a deadline for each major objective you must complete - leaving ample time especially when you are dependent on others
• Break down each major objective into small tasks with shorter deadlines. Achieving small tasks often encourages you along the way to total goal achievement

The key here is not to seek only what's quick and easy in this world. Great achievers are methodical planners. Make sure you achieve small tasks every day en-route to accomplishing each objective. This mindset makes achieving like a game. That's why kids love the Nintendo game called Mario. Mario travels through a maze of places achieving little tasks en-route to his final destination. Each small victory keeps the kids excited to keep playing. Adults can achieve incredible goals the same way. Stay interested. Be passionate and PLAN LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDED ON WINNING! If you view this total GOAL PLANNING SYSTEM as a pleasurable process - YOU WILL DEFINITELY WIN OFTEN!

Let us know how many written detailed plans you could produce if we were to meet RIGHT NOW, for the goals you are presently seeking? This poll will end on Sunday 02/23/03. Watch for the results and summary by Monday morning 02/24/03.

Results:
1. 44% voted-they have no detailed plans for present goals
2. 28% voted-they have never had a detailed plan for their goals
3. 16% voted-never writing goals down or having detailed plans
4. 11% voted-I have 1 detailed plan right NOW
5. 02% voted-I have 2 detailed plans right NOW

Post-Poll Commentary:
It's obvious from this weeks poll that very few people (ONLY 13%)have a detailed plan that maps out exactly how they are going to achieve the goals they set. Without a detailed plan, the chances of achieving your goals on time or at all are greatly diminished. This should not come as a surprise to anyone.

Each week as I prepare these polls and write the Pre and Post Commentaries, I want to believe that there are visitors to this site that I am making some headway with. I am very happy that people seem to be honest with their answers. If they were not, I think the results would prove to be much better. However, I am hoping that I am making an impact on some lives.

As a contestant in the "Game of Life," I am always looking to invest my precious time in the BEST activities possible. There are so many activities to choose from. Some are fun. Some are productive. Some are a total waste of time and energy. If you want to be the contestant that wins the prizes in life, there's NO TIME to waste on category three above. Your time will run out and the game will be over before you get what you want out of life.

There are lots of people that make their living by writing books about how to achieve things in life. They know all the theories and all the steps one should take to get what they want. Many authors sell lots of books and make lots of money. However many of them don't even follow their own advice.

In contrast to the above, I do not make any money from the advice I post on this website. I have no hidden agendas for the visitors and readers of these polls. However, I know what I write works because I do what I say. I have written plans. If I didn't, I could not consistently produce the work I do on this site. I plan in advance, on a timetable and stick to my plan. No excuses. I would like to see as many of my visitors do the same. That would make the investment of my precious time to produce this information worthwhile.

Now is a good time to review the first six weeks of this Goal Setting System. Don't be a skeptic. Get down and dirty and make stuff happen in your life. There are no shortcuts to achievement. It requires lots of planning, no excuse execution and great passion. You can get just about whatever you want if you dot every i and cross every t. Get started on your DETAILED PLAN now. Don't let me down. But most of all - DON'T LET YOURSELF DOWN. Don't let tour time run out as a contestant in the game of life, before you get all or most of what you have dreamed of. YOU CAN DO IT!

Click Here to go to the next poll in the Goal Planning Series.