I have spent one too many years writing boring and unmemorable business and marketing plans. Fortunately, a mentor pulled me aside one day and said I should change my approach and start writing Results Plans. Wow! What a difference it made.
What is a Results Plan? It’s a document focused on one thing only: RESULTS! It starts with having you focus on those true outcomes you want to achieve and then forces you to work backwards from that point.
Start using Results Plans!
For example, if your main goal is to lose 100 pounds, your “Ultimate Result” would be something like “I am at my ideal weight of 165 pounds by December 31, 2012.” It’s measurable and it is also stated in the positive. If your goal was stated as just “I want to lose 100 pounds” that is far less compelling so make sure to use “I am” statements where applicable.
Once you determine your “Ultimate Result” then you need to determine the handful of “Key Results” that will make that “Ultimate Result” a reality. Let’s take the above example one step further. You should have something that looks like:
RESULTS PLAN
Ultimate Result: “I am at my ideal weight of 165 pounds by December 31, 2012.”
Now, you write out the “Key Results” the will help you accomplish it…
Key Result #1: I am an active member at a local gym where I workout 5 days a week.
Key Result #2: I am a person who is passionate about my health where I only consume 1,800 calories a day.
Key Result #3: I am a triathlete. I make swimming, biking, and running an important part of my life 6 days a week.
Again, these are all stated in the “I am” format. All are measurable. And, all are stated in the positive.
Next, you must add “Objectives” to support the accomplishment of each “Key Result.”
Let’s use “Key Result #2″ as an example.
Key Result #2: I am a person who is passionate about my health where I only consume 1,800 calories a day.
This is where you starting writing the supporting objectives…
Objective 1: I will throw away all junk food.
Objective 2: I will stop eating fast food. Period.
Objective 3: I will eat six tiny meals a day.
Your “Objectives” then become your action items. That’s it.
It’s simple. It’s straightforward. It produces results.
What approach has worked best for you?
