A coach develops a game plan before his team faces opponents. The game plan is meticulously executed to give the players the best chance in the coach’s mind of winning the game.
It also maps out a host of obstacles the team might face when coming up against the foe. This prediction is based on countless reruns of the opponent’s previous games. That gives the coach knowledge about obstacles his or her team might face.
Rather than being blindsided by plays not anticipated, the coach is able to prevent the blindside by making sure their team is ready to counteract them. It pays to have the mindset of a coach when you’re planning your own strategies for life.
An entrepreneur who starts a business without a game plan is almost sure to fail. Finances, competition, plans for future expansion, hiring and more must be considered before money is invested or you’ll be overwhelmed with obstacles you didn’t anticipate.
Before you begin any plan for the future, it’s imperative that you research what that plan entails and take steps to prevent being blindsided. There are problem areas in anything that’s worth pursuing, but knowing what those problems are can save you time, money and help you succeed, rather than fail.
One problem that can kill a project or make your goals come to an abrupt halt is developing a negative mindset. Before you even begin, you should expect to win, rather than fail. Fear of failure causes setbacks that are hard to overcome.
Another problem that has made many good ideas tumble is trying to do too much. When you don’t give yourself enough time to complete one goal before it’s time to move on to another, it’s easy to become discouraged and frustrated with the process.
Break down the large goals into mini-ones that you can achieve and manage well. Trying to do too much can also lead to another problem – making excuses about why you can’t go on with the project. Excuses are obstacles that you develop on your own.
Take responsibility for what you’ve created – either the confusion and chaos in your plan – or the success. Make a commitment to achieving your goals and then take action to do just that.
Procrastination is another obstacle that you need to anticipate and guard against. When you put off what you need to do, the chance may never come again. Procrastination creates a complacency that keeps you from getting anything done that’s worthwhile.
Finally, continuing to live in your comfort zone may hinder progress and become an obstacle that keeps you from ever realizing success. Even though you may be excited and happy to work on your goals now, there is a danger that you will abandon them because you fear the unknown.
Don’t let fear or other obstacles keep you from your life’s dreams and goals. Break free of the bonds that have kept you back and live your life moving forward by developing a game plan that works.
