I was recently asked what the process is that I use to figure out what actions I need to take to reach my goals. After trying to write a post about my process, a post I was never quite satisfied with, I decided that I would just give an example of my backward action planning for people to watch, and that this would make the whole process easier to understand. However, before I give the example here are the seven steps I follow when backward planning my actions:
1. Write down the measurable result that proves the goal has been achieved.
2. Write down the last small action that achieves the measurable result.
3. Write down the small action that leads to the very last action.
4. Continue writing down each previous small action.
5. Write down the first small action you must complete to get started.
6. Start with the first small action and work my way through the action path towards the measurable result.
7. Add/delete actions as necessary so the action path adapts to reality.
Check here for information on Small Actions
Example by pencast
Just hit play on the player below, then click on the arrow in the upper right corner to get a full screen view.
What do you think of the concept of backward action planning?
What do you think of the pencast as a method of delivering information on this blog?
I would love to hear your comments about both.
That was pretty cool.
For your intended purpose it was in a lot of ways better than you tube.
Keep it up.
Jason
Jeremy,
what an excellent tool. Thanks for sharing both your planning methodsand Livesribe also.
Best:
Judit
Now I want to watch Twin Peaks.
Could you define “small actions” a little more clearly? Just reading the steps was confusing.
//off to video store
Jason: yes, I think it definitely has some very specific applications, and is another tool one can add to their communication methods.
Judit: I am happy to share both, and I hope they prove helpful.
Jocelyn: Small actions are the individual steps that you do to move closer to your overall goal. For me, each small action has a single verb or step involved with it. So, for example I don’t write down “pick possible weekend to go and ask parents when they can babysit”. Those are two unique steps to the process that each require a different action, so they are split up.
If you write down an action step and it involves more than one required action, or more than one step it is not broken down into the smallest action possible and is more difficult to accomplish.
Of course, now that I say that you may notice that I am not perfect at the process as one of my small actions breaks this rule, I wrote down “Find/Book hotel to stay at”. Finding the hotel and booking it are two different processes and should have been two different steps. I think I lumped them together as, with the internet, finding a hotel and booking it both happen while on the web page, but to stick to my rule strictly they should have been separate.
Check out Jason’s post:
Three tips for setting weekly actions
for a bit more information and this post as well:
Turning big goals into small actions
[...] When you do have time to plan your actions, try backward planning them. Check out this pencast movie as an example. [...]
[...] For another pencast on goal setting check out backward planning your goals. [...]