It’s the 20th of December, year 2020. As 2021 approaches, I feel a festive vibe. The year 2020 has been Corona-spent and everyone has their hopes pegged high for the New Year. Why not? We are rapidly descending from the pandemic peak and that there’s a vaccination in the offing, too. Unless the virus mutates into a diabolical strain, we are good.
As always, New Year brings in resolutions. I resolve to do things every year and resolutely fail in making things work. I’m more of a journey -person than a goal-person, you see.
Why do our best laid plans fail?
They’re not best laid, after all
Planning requires having a holistic picture of things to come. It takes imagination to come up with a foolproof plan. So, we might just be running headlong into the plan without giving it enough thought.
Excessive planning ruins it all
Elaborate planning without leaving any room for manouvering is more common than not. Something like a virulent pandemic is a Black Swan, but there could be many things that throw a spanner in the works. The more rigid the plan, the greater the chances of it breaking apart.
Being wishy-washy
Once a decent plan is made, it is important to be firm on executing it. Being half-hearted or wishy-washy just doesn’t cut it. Not only will it leave you dispirited but also, what a waste of time!
Not adapting to changes quickly enough
Someone said, if you want change, you should invite chaos into your life. Changes will pour in and will upset your plans. The key is to be adaptable. If you aim for carrying out 💯 percent of the plan, you may achieve 40–50 percent of it, if you adapt quickly enough.
Not celebrating milestones
Traversing through a series of milestones enroute reaching a goal is a way of breaking your journey into miles. A milestone is an occasion to celebrate, which will lift your morale and recharge your batteries for the next sprint.
A year long plan is a campaign
Sometimes, you are a one man army. Other times, you have a team to lead. Irrespective of the size of your unit, when you plan something for the long term (like a year), you’re no longer executing a simple plan. The timespan adds dimensions to your goal. It becomes a campaign.
Negative self-talk
Always find ways to cheer yourself up, because carrying out a plan can be plain drudgery. Positive self-talk has been known to plant seeds of courage. You should keep reminding yourself why you have started your journey and do rest if you must, but do not quit. Morale can make or break your war.
Not enjoying the journey
Every step you take in the right direction should ideally make you more resolute about achieving your goal. But motivation is a fairweather friend. You may need to overhaul your approach to getting things done and it can be a great journey of learning by doing. Journal your journey.
No strategies for spanners
While there will be black swans or black cygnets, there are always ways to cope with certain spanners. If you’ve tried out a plan the year before, you are most likely to be aware of what can throw them into your plans.
Nature doesn’t rush, but always gets things done
All the adrenaline junkies out there, please take note. You can’t rush a campaign. You have to let the idea sink into your mind, first. The human body is a bureaucracy while our plans presume it’s a meritocracy at work. There’s corruption, red tape and all kinds of loopholes that will conspire to slow you down right inside your mind. So, get some more strategies to see you through.
So, now you know what to watch out for.
I wish you a Merry Christmas 🎄 and a life-changing 2021!
