Plan A

[Smarky]

Hey Guys,

I've been struggling a lot with clarity and in taking action, my life is a bit rubbish, but I feel the opportunity is huge.

Ultimately I understand it's about taking action. But first I need a system to support that. A plan of what i'm actually going to do and how i'm going to do it in the first place. Then it can all be about ACTION.

So i've come up with the idea of creating a loose blueprint for my life, or at least the next year or two.

The idea is called Plan A (Because there is no Plan B), the name ruthlessly stolen from a retail chain here has to become eco friendly =p

My problems have been lack of clarity, I've just found myself confused in the day to day running of things, what to do, how to do it, how am I gonna be successful? and just kinda really getting stuck. I've been over thinking things cause i haven't been overly clear or confident with what I want. I have a idea but everything is a little too loose and I have no idea how to manage it. Time management is something that for sure needs to be looked at.

So my question is what should I include here and what should I think deep and hard about which are going to help me in creating this and ultimately following through and Achieving it.

[pterodactyl]

Hi Smarky,

My apologies if these responses to your post seem mediocre or obvious.

I agree that you need a system from which to run your life. In my experience, this system needs to be based solidly upon your values, or the primary value upon which your life is founded, so look first to your values when establishing your system and life plan. This may also change over time, depending on what you're working on or wish to accomplish; for example, two years ago my life plan was centered around accountability to others and myself. Once I had successfully integrated that, I altered my approach to focus on personal integrity, which is what I am presently exploring and working on until it becomes automatic.

Everything in my life now stems from that basic value. The rest seems to fall into place once you have a keystone. For example, basing your system on integrity means that you will also value consistency and authenticity, which will help you get things done on a day to day basis. It shifts the focus toward considering the effects of the results you achieve rather than on how you go about achieving them. It follows naturally that you would seek out various methods and help from others in organizing and implementing plans, because that is how an authentic person would behave.

So my advice, however simplistic, is to seek out and define your values and base your system upon the ones that are most authentic for you or the ones you wish to strengthen.

Best of luck,
Amber

[ConquerSelf]

I think I understand because I'm in the same situation.

The thing about plans is, they are absolutely neccessary to GUIDE you in the right direction. Plans are not meant to be step by step, down to when and where you tie your shoe. Get me?

The most important thing to remember is to just take action. And I know your saying, "Well, I already know that. I just need a concrete plan." News flash. There is no such thing as a perfect, and solid plan. Circumstances and ideas change your path a bit. Don't stress on perfecting the plan, because you never will.

I want you to just jump into your plans TODAY. Start taking action towards your goal. Every little effort counts. A famous person once said, "Big goals are really just a lot of small goals broken down into even smaller goals." Don't be discouraged by a large, exact plan. Take ten minutes to define your large goal, and then small things yu can do to eventually achieve that. I know, it's easier said then done, but it's all up to you. The point is, gather your thoughts, no matter how rugged and rough-around-the edges, and start taking action.

For me, I spent an entire month planning on how I'd START my business. And believe me, it ain't a complicated business. It was started with no capital resources or anything. The point is, I spent too much time planning when I could have used that time to take action. When I started making my sales presentations, I realized I'd overplanned, and it was simpler than I thought. Sure, I stumbled a bit. But that's how you learn, and it makes it interesting.

It's like this:
You want to sell tires. You design and create the most intricate treads, and they're supposedly the safest tires out there. It isn't until you pour some water over the tire to see where there is a leak, or test them on a track to see if they truly are the safest. Analogy: Plan because it is important, but stop at a certain point to just get to it.

Don't let fear of failure or imperfection paralyze you into inaction.

Hope it helped.

[Smarky]

Thanks guys from your comments

pterodactyl - What you said is really what I'm trying to do, thanks for giving me some clariity on the issue at hand!

ConquerSelf - Your right and I'm not trying to come up with a step by step plan at all. It's more about values and guidelines and how I am going to run things. No point is it a step by step plan of how to do my goals. I'm really not that type of person. That is how I will work, I'm just kinda laying the foundation and the general directions settings.

Thank you to both of you

See like in a company they have values and a set way to do things, there brand if you like. Apple had there think different campaign and there pure product focus, making sure quality was key. Google for example has there '10 things' list they used when they where a start up which guided them through and taught them exactly who they are and basically set out there over all direction and helped guide anyone in the company to make the correct decisions for the path they were taking.

For me i'm really obsessed with wanting to create great things, that becomes a problem because I second guess everything too much and that is why I want this system/process/over direction set out so i can just concentrate on the action and have faith in it.

[Smarky]

So here is some things from me that i have set out. These mean a big deal to me and will form the basis of what i'm putting together.

Goal: Live happy, create insanely great things.
Everyday my goal continues to be to create insanely great things and to do what makes me happy.

* Rule #1: It's all about creating insanely great things and having one hell of a good time.

* Rule #2: Never forget rule #1.

I create things that express, enhance and explore our extraordinary human journey.

My entire life is focused on three things, creating insanely great things, enjoying life to it's fullest and sharing it with others. I surround myself with what I like, what I enjoy and what makes me smile and I avoid anything that doesn't. Passion is my life and I simply do what feels good, I live from my heart. I just say what I say, do what I do and live the life I know i was intended to live, independent of the good opinions of others or anything else. I am a creator and creators create. That's just what I do.

[Smarky]

This is my 'creativity statement' or 'artist statement'

Creativity Statement.
I create insanely great things that creatively express, enhance and explore our extraordinary human journey.

Creativity to me is the air that I breathe, it’s the blood that goes through my veins that keeps me alive. I don’t really know anything else. Creativity to me is life, It is that simple. Being creative and creating great things isn't a means to an end, being creative is the end!

I create for the sake of creating, writers, write, painters, paint. I am a creator and creators create. That’s just what I do. A creator takes inspiration from everything that happens in life, weather the sun shines or the rain pours, it is all an influence on the work created. If I don't sit down to create, that thing, that world or that emotion goes uncaptured. Perhaps it will visit again another day, perhaps not.

Creativity to me is a journey, an adventure, the best tool in which to express or explore life and ultimately yourself. Because ultimately creativity is about being honest, no matter how much you try and escape that, there is always some part of you invested in any project.

There is no magic to it. It’s sometimes a messy process, often without method, but it is never the tool you use or the technique that counts, it’s always and only about what you create with it and how you are able to express that. The job of a creator is simply to let it be born.

Too many people are caught up in dead end jobs, pay checks, TV shows and mini life drama's to notice or get evolved with the world outside of there self built enclosure or cage. It is through creativity and creating things that I feel more alive and I find that I’m more able to connect with and understand the world more fully. It is my voice. To me life is best enhanced, expressed and experienced by our creative and playful energies as human beings, that’s what makes us more fully alive.

I find great value and purpose with what I do. Growing, learning, expressing, playing, making people smile, creating things that make a difference to the world, that mean and matter to people, that inspire, creating things that are useful and practical, enhancing the life experience and entertaining people. Creating something in the world that didn't exist before I came and adding back to the human pool of experience.

So to me it is always the greatest privilege and honor to wake up and get to create something new and exciting each day.

[Smarky]

My "Ten things" document.

Be true.
Stay true to who you are, what you stand for and what you believe in. That is the beginning and the end, no apologies, no regrets. Everything else is secondary.

Creators, Create.
I am a creator and creators create. Weather it rains or the sun shines, That's just what I do. It’s the air that I breathe; it’s the blood that goes through my veins that keeps me alive.

Ohana.
Ohana means family, family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten. We are all from the same tribe, we are all we have. Never forget that.

Plus it.
Always raise the bar. Constantly reinvent, do it better, look for something more interesting, more fun, more expressive. It's a devotion to brilliance, and obsession with creating INSANELY great things.

Trust the process.
Clear your head, center your heart and choose to trust the process of life wherever it may lead. When has life ever failed you? It will find a way and tomorrow is always a new day.

The Journey is the reward
The destination may be the goal, but the journey is the reward. Success and failure mean nothing, going for greatness and fun is everything. It is not about reaching some end point. Love the challenge!

No balls, No babies.
Playing small has it's price, your life, Roll the dice, never look back and never think twice, because if your not risking it all, you might as well not play at all.

Just Do it.
Make it happen. See an opportunity, think of a solution and plug everything together, without stopping to ask questions or lots of risk analyst. Just take action. Destiny is about execution, not about being cautious.

Become it.
I put my heart and soul into everything I do. Like my life depends on it, because it does, it is who I am, it is my life. The minute I lose that I become normal, I become mundane.

Stay hungry, Stay foolish.
Take risks, see things differently, ignore all rules, don't listen to anyone else, have no respect for the status quo, Because people crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones that actually do.

[Smarky]

Posting all that makes me feel more clear already and makes me wonder where my problem is lol. But there you have it.

I guess I'm trying to tie that together into something that has real substance.

I just need to find a way to become a little bit more organized around it.

[Gabriel.B]

Hello Smarky

I suppose it's different with every one, but what helps me a lot is visualizing, I spend about 20 min daily, simply imagining what it is I want, in a meditative, relaxed state.
It helps me with maintaining clarity and feel happy xD

[ConquerSelf]

Sorry, thought you were asking something else .

Man, your posts were inspiring .

Only, I could never express it in words like that lol. Yo, seriously, I feel like the exact same way about life. I too, am I creator.

I'm digging the ten values list, and it's a great marketing foundation for your business.

I live by Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish. Steve Jobs is the man.

Anyway, you definately have created something great!

Any tips on how you found clarity ?

[Smarky]

Originally Posted by ConquerSelf

Any tips on how you found clarity ?

Honestly it's taken a lot of time, no secret. I feel I am close, but still missing something somewhere which is why I made this post. Although the more I talk in this thread the more I realize it's about some minor tweaking and then finding a way to implement it so it is 100% my life.

It's been a constant obsession with wanting to creating something great and do something great, without wanting to follow the conventions.

I've saved a lot of articles and things i've liked, this has helped me learn more about myself and gain wisdom that I haven't yet had the experience to have earned first hand.

Everything I have written here, I have written and revised constantly, I have all the old versions on my hard drive over about 3 or 4 years. I question myself a lot and I am always writing ideas or thoughts down, I always have a lot of thoughts that I have written down like this. What is new to me is becoming a filter of those thoughts and getting down to the things that really matter.

I've heard from somewhere a quote I think written down somewhere on a letter, Something like "I'm sorry this letter isin't shorter, I didn't have the time", being a filter right now is very important to me. I'm trying to find what counts.

p.s I love stay Hungry, Stay Foolish, I'm getting it tattoo'ed on my arm