The Creation of a step-by-step action plan keeps you on track

Part Four of a Five Part Series: The 5C Solution

By Cindy Cipriani

It may seem that recent events, which were out of your control, have totally disrupted life as you knew it. No matter how crazy your life seemed before the pandemic, this new reality swooped in and disrupted any semblance of normal daily life. Your plans for school, business, vacation and even the freedom to eat at your favorite restaurant abruptly ended. It is times like this when people ask themselves, “What do I do now?”

Imagine yourself driving at night to a destination, let’s say a party that you are really looking forward to. You looked up the address and realized that you knew how to get there, so you decide to take your antique car. Suddenly you come upon a police officer blocking the road. He waves you onto a road you have never been on. There are no detour signs and no other cars to follow. You are just headed in a different direction in the dark and have no idea where this road takes you. How do you feel? Annoyed. A little frightened. Confused. Anxious. If only you had taken your car with a GPS to recalculate your planned route! But since you didn’t, now you have a choice to make. All the possibilities rush through your thoughts. Do you continue forward and try to navigate your way back to the main road? Do you turn around and ask the police officer for directions? Do you stop by the side of the road and stay there until morning? Should you just turn around and go home?

The same thing happens in life when we have big plans and an unexpected circumstance suddenly interrupts our momentum. High school and college seniors may have had big plans for sporting accomplishments and graduation parties. Couples may have had their weddings planned years in advance. Businesses had financial projections of growth, expansion and hiring more staff. When all these plans got canceled, different people reacted in different ways. Some became depressed, angry and immobile while others started thinking outside the box for alternative solutions creating an action plan to keep moving toward the same goals while navigating around this temporary detour. Which reaction did you have?

Are you taking this time to create a clear plan with new step-by-step actions? Are you consulting with other experts for their direction or suggestions? Or did you just cancel everything and slide to a stop? It can seem easier to just quit, but ultimately nothing is accomplished by quitting. In fact, it is the challenges that we overcome that make us stronger and more confident to continue until we reach our goals. That is why we admire successful people. Ask any accomplished person and they will tell you that they overcame obstacles, pushed through unexpected pressures and took one more step even when they were told to give up. That step resulted in them finally breaking through to success.

Take the story of the singer Adele – she started singing at age 4, canceled two tours just as she became a headliner because she had a boyfriend who didn’t want her to travel, overcame drinking, and apparently failed at her first American debut. She was struggling, only to get booked on Saturday Night Live the same night Sarah Palin appeared, garnishing millions of viewers. This one night launched her songs to the top of the charts. Then just as she got momentum, she needed vocal cord surgery, another setback. It was not until two years later that her song ‘Hello’ made history. She seemed like an overnight success when that song hit the airwaves, but she had to overcome all the prior challenges, and not give up, until she made it.

The most valuable thing you can do with your time now is to create an action plan. Yes, even plan for detours. Imagine what obstacles could try to block your way and contemplate alternative solutions, but do not give up on your dreams. Be a winner. Become your own hero.

Clarity keeps you grounded. Commitment is the fuel that moves you forward. Challenges test your commitment. Creation of a step-by-step action plan keeps you on track.

Coming Soon: Part Five of this series, which will focus on how to Celebrate!