Background

There is an expression that says, "Those who fail to plan are planning to fail." Many people spend more time planning their two-week vacation than they do planning their entire work year. Yet research has shown that the people who have a goal, write a plan and take the appropriate action are up to ten times more productive, happy and successful.

What's the secret? It's pretty simple. Well-done tasks lead to well done days. Well done days lead to well done weeks. Weeks turn into months and months turn into years. The key is to have a daily plan including high priority / high payoff tasks.

What's another secret? A Chinese proverb states, "The palest ink is better than the best memory." Write it down and reap the benefits.

1. Selection

Select one day for which you intend to create a written plan. It should be two to three days and even up to a week from the day you start this case. Write down the day and why you selected it.

2. Preparation

Write down five action items, or tasks, that have the highest priority / highest payoff potential. Examples are introducing a new product to a current customer, doing a product demonstration, asking for a referral, asking for an order, making a prospecting approach, attempting a key phone contact, etc.

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3. Action

Schedule each task into your day. Aim for accomplishing all five items.

4. Results

What happened? Did you feel more productive? Did you achieve any significant breakthroughs? Write it down.