Great Plans Start With A Clear THERE!

THERE Reduces Overwhelmed

You may know where you want to go or what you want to achieve, but your ideas need to be clarified. The THP structure requires clarity about THERE the T in the THP process.

For your ideas, picture the end result when you achieve it. If you "see" what the end result is, you have a clear THERE, your goal, the end result. So, take each idea and develop a clear picture you can articulate. Make it so clear that it is like showing a person an image on your phone.

Great plans, even for where you want to be next week, start with the same thing, "What do I want to create, achieve, and finish by this time next week?"

When you coach someone, that is an essential step for any individual or group. You help them focus on what they need to do in the next seven days. Or, have them focus on this time tomorrow—what THERE is their destination for this time tomorrow? It is especially helpful when a person is overwhelmed with work or life. In fact, it is the best medicine to relieve that tension. You help them focus on one or two things, then move on to the next items.

When you meet with someone or a group, focus their attention on the next seven days. The additional KEY INGREDIENT is to check progress at the end of seven days. At the end of seven days, you help them see how they made progress or let other things interfere. 

THERE Increases Productivity and Achievement

So, if you want a structure of productivity and achievement in your team or group, get everyone to list the top 3 things they need to do in the next seven days. Then, schedule a regular weekly meeting to discuss results, obstacles, and next actions for the following seven days.

The KEY is to have a VERY CLEAR THERE for everything someone wants to achieve. That is where great plans start. But it requires work because most people need to learn how to create clear THEREs. It also aids accountability because, with clarity, you know what was or wasn't accomplished.

If you want to start working on something other than the next seven days, download this exercise: Learn from the Past and Plan for the Future.

Want to Try It?

You can start with ideas.

• For Planning: What do you want to create or achieve?
• For Coaching: What do they or you want to improve?

Then, make it VERY CLEAR. If it isn’t clear, you won’t be able to organize your actions toward getting it done. And you won’t know when you are finished or even if you are making progress. Here is a simple guideline: your THERE (or end result, goal) should be one short sentence with a clear metric to measure it. Like, "66 videos in course 6 added to the website by the end of work Monday."

If you allow yourself any "wiggle room," you create a structure for EXCUSES!

What Is Next?

After you get your THERE clear, what do you do next? Most people would tell you to identify the actions you need to get THERE. But that is not the best option. HERE is a better option for developing great plans.