What’s Your “If/Then” Plan?
photo credit: ben wicks/unsplash
We outlined planning and we described goal setting. What if things do not go accordingly? We mentioned the need to be flexible and adaptable along the way, and some spontaneous shifting is necessary. But, what if you could plan for things before they came up?
Again, we know our final destination and we have our goal and action steps all mapped out, but what if we see a dangerous or blocked roadway up ahead? What do we do then? We will have a few choices:
Abort the plan
Stay where we are for a while until things get cleaned up or we can come up with a new plan
Turn around and backtrack
Take a detour
Anticipation of boulders in your path can help! photo credit: gina tigere/unsplash
Any of these can be reasonable choices depending upon the blockage and its impacts. And, what if you spent some time thinking about what might come at you along the way while crafting your plan and goals? The if/then plan is how we manage an “off road” segment of our journey. It’s where we ask ourselves “what will I do if XYZ does/does not happen?” in order to craft an alternate path. We do not wish to evoke worry or doubt or focus on worst-case scenarios; we do want you to anticipate some of the pitfalls that may appear and feel confident that you can address them if they do. With each goal and action step you can ask yourself the “what will I do if…” question. Some things have many possible detours; some have more limited options; and if you spend some time before an issue arises trying to flush out the dangers along the way, you will be in better shape if they do appear.
Let’s take our weight loss example. You wish to lose 10 pounds at a rate of about 2 pounds per week. You have cleared your home of junk food. You are feeling good about things both mentally and physically…maybe you have even dropped a few pounds already! A friend has stopped by unannounced and brought gourmet candy to share with you. That can be a weight loss derailment! However, if you thought about the possibility of that as you crafted your plan and goals, you could work in an if/then statement and mini-plan. It goes something like this:
IF someone comes over bringing sweets or other unhealthy snacks, THEN I will thank them and let them know that I am currently avoiding those foods. I will sit far from the unwelcome treat and get myself some carrot sticks to nibble so that I am less tempted by the treat.
Now, we are not saying that keeping to the if/then plan is necessarily easy or fun, but it can be done! And, anticipating some of the off-road detours that may pop up during your journey will provide you with extra strength if or when those times arise. IF you decide to wait until a problem arises, THEN the problem may be magnified and more difficult to surmount. Set yourself up better for success by identifying potential obstacles and putting if/then plans in place to keep yourself on track.
Core Endeavors can help you craft your full plan and goals, including some helpful if/then plans--reach out for our assistance!
