Have a Plan, Adapt Your Plan

I am a BIG planner – and those who know me well would suggest that’s an understatement. I place a high value on being prepared and having a plan. Yet I also recognize that while plans are good, it can be extremely dangerous to be too rigid about your plan. We should have a plan for just about everything, but we should also have the willingness and skills to adapt our plan, as necessary.

I perform three-year, annual, quarterly, and weekly plans. Additionally, I create plans for each segment of my days. I do this by setting an intention for each segment, or for each time my day transitions into a new activity. Think of intention setting as a “super tool” that primes you for impact for each segment of your day. It answers the questions about how you want to show up, what you want to accomplish, and how you want people to feel after interacting with you.

And each segment must be supported by the appropriate mindset that would lead you to act. There are four key mindsets that we at Emergent feel are important to have:

Possibility: We must wholeheartedly believe that what we hold in mind for that intention has every possibility of occurring. Possible in the world, possible for me. When we believe, we are more inclined to behave in a way consistent with that belief – and we are more likely to become that which we believe.

Growth: The growth mindset keeps us in action amidst obstacles, challenges, and roadblocks. This mindset is built for learning and perseverance. We know that we cannot fail. We will either win or learn.

Curiosity: Our learning is enhanced the more curious we become about our experiments and outcomes. When we channel our inner four-year-old, we are approaching everything with awe and a sense of wonderment. Whatever happens becomes a stepping stone for what is next.

Responsibility: The responsibility mindset has us owning our behavior and choices with full recognition that the only behavior we have control over is our own. What we decide to say and do in response to every opportunity for action is ours to own. We decide. We choose. We act. We are responsible.

Be intentional for each segment of your day. Pay attention to your thinking and feeling, and make sure that it is aligned with your intention. Act and notice the impact of your action. Based on the impact, be willing to adapt your thinking and behavior to what is needed in the next moment.

Life and leadership are a continuous cycle of being intentional, acting, and adapting those actions to be aligned with your purpose, values, and VITAL goals. If you are feeling off track or misaligned, contact us at support@GetEmergent.com.