Goals are good. Execution is mandatory!

Far too often, we set goals to never look at them. To review them. And most importantly, to strategically think about them.

I’ve been the CEO of an international firm for many years now, and one thing I’ve learned is that planning plus execution is where the game is played.This is where we win.

It’s where you score.

This is true for your personal and professional life.

In the sections to follow I’m going to share with you how I create the bones, the framework for my goals, which allows me to execute.

I call it my VSPRE…

Set the VISION for your next three years.

You won’t spend a ton of time on your vision. Unless you’re a dreamer. If so, then dream on.

It’s a mixture of who you want to be and what you want to achieve over the next three years.

Combining your Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAG) and connecting them with your values is a great place to envision your future.

A three-year goal of mine is being the best small business to work for in the Orlando area.

This vision connects me to many other goals as great people, make great executors.

I’ve also taken Cameron Herold advice and created a Vivid Vision.

Establish your STRATEGY for the next year with goals.

Creating a vision is fun. It’s exciting. But that’s where most people stop. They love dreaming.

They love dreaming so much that they’re in a perpetual dream.

Not you!

With your three year vision, or longer-term goals, you’ll begin to outline the goals you want to achieve this year.

What can you do this year, to move you towards your vision?

Think hard about this.

Take few head bumps to the desk if need be.

You should spend three hours doing this.

The thinking, not the head bumping.

This often happens during your end of year review. Or before you meet with your executive team, if you have one.

Cameron Herold has a few excellent questions in his book “Meetings Suck,” that I revised for my yearly review:

• What are the goals for the next year?

• What were the goals for the last year?

• Were those goals hit or missed?

• If the goals were missed, why?

• What is the plan to drive metrics and get projects accomplished in the upcoming year?

Determine your quarterly PLAN to execute on those goals.

A goal without a plan is a dream.

You did some hard work. You determined the most important goals to focus on for the upcoming year.

Now you need to begin executing on them.

The game is played on the field.

You’ll do this within the quarter.

Your quarter goals are directly tied to your yearly goals.

Each quarter you’ll outline 5 goals you want to move forward. You’ve established the goals in your yearly review and strategy session, now, you break those goals down into action items.

Or as my business adviser calls them, your Quarterly Action Plans (QAPs).

What do you need to do this quarter to accomplish, or get close to achieving your yearly goal?

As you plan your quarter, ask yourself these following questions:

• What were the goals for the last year?

• What goals did you accomplish?

• What are the goals for the next quarter?

• Were those goals hit or missed?

• If the goals were missed, why? Which goals require recommitment to complete?

• What goals require revision?

• Which goals do you need to remove entirely?

• What is the plan to drive metrics and get projects accomplished in the upcoming year?

Then, as you plan your quarter, run through a Strengths, Obstacle, Opportunities, and Threats (SOOT) analysis.

Sounds boring but its quite fun to do with your executive team.

Focus on areas that will take advantage of opportunities, push back obstacles (limiting factors), and help avoid future threats.

There’s no sense sweeping issues under the rug. Own them!

You’ll cascade this focus to your teams and have them establish their own personal quarterly action plans.

REVIEW and prioritize your upcoming week to start hitting your quarter plan.

You play the quarter game in the week.

A month is too short.

Each week you’ll determine 3 big priorities that will push you closer to your quarterly goals.

You know! The action plan you created for the quarter?

Don’t let all your brain numbing hard work go to waste.

Michael Hyatt calls them your Weekly Big 3.

Remember, these move you towards your goals. They’ll often be your A & B level activities.

Must Read: Are You Worth $10/hr? A Simple Formula To Determine If You’re Focusing On The RIGHT Things

EXECUTE your weekly priorities, daily.

Once you’ve determined the Weekly Big 3, each day you’ll do the same.

What is your Daily Big 3 to move you towards your Weekly Big 3?

Your top priorities get your best attention. Everything else isn’t nearly as important.

Focus!

There you have it.

From vision to execution, with this simple framework, you’ll be turning your dreams into action in no time.

Plan your life and as you do, remember, VSPRE.

Your Wings,