We tackled in the previous article the importance of setting goals and putting a plan to achieving them keeping in mind they should suit one’s qualifications.
One recalls the story of Levi Strauss, an American tailor who went to California to mine for gold. However, all his attempts were futile and his condition worsened so much that he was a destitute.
Suddenly, an idea dawned upon him. He cut off his tent and made pants out of it and named his invention as “Strauss Jeans”. It was so fit for work in mining; thus miners thronged to buy them. Thus, managing to be one of the wealth men of California; Strauss had achieved much more than those who had come to mine for gold themselves. He turned failure into success as he used his potential in the best way.
The next step to setting goals is setting up a feasible plan to achieve these goals. They said that goals are dreams we turn to plans. As a goal with no detailed plan to make it real would be a dream imprisoned in the dreamer’s mind. Thus the second step to achieve success is to set up a plan. Have a clear vision of your goal. The steps you would follow to reach it in addition to your abilities and how you will make the best use of them achieve your goal. You have to set a time-frame for your plan. Finally, start working hard.
Try to evaluate your progress. Determine what helps you to keep your pace and avoid stumbling or retreating; adjust your plan accordingly. You should repeat the evaluation process from time to time lest you waste your time in vain. For example, Strauss aimed at being rich through gold mining as many others had done. However he failed as he couldn’t evaluate his potential. Thus, when he resorted to make a good use of his potential, he was able to achieve great success. The need for is product was a factor of that success.
So, continuous evaluation of your work is critical for making progress as well as the element of time. Living your life without a plan is like going astray while reaching your final destination. A plan would help you to use all you capabilities for the target’s sake. It will also motivate you to keep going when evaluating your progress. To be continued….
Principles – Success and Ambition 4 – Jeans – 24/5/2014
