TRIP TIP #33 “It Helps if You Have a Plan”

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Hi, this is Keith Renninson “The Tenacity Expert” professional speaker & author of the award-winning book “Tenacity, You Don’t Have to Get Lost in Nepal to Find Yourself, But it Helps!”.  I’m here with my next installment of my TRIP Tips for the financial services professional.  Remember that TRIP is an acronym for TENACITY, RESILIENCE, IMAGINATION, AND PURPOSE.  So, lets’ get started! 

 

Mind mapping, planning, flow-charting, whatever you want to call it, having a plan that is flexible is a wonderful way to start your business or new project.  I often tell my son that if he wants to get somewhere in life a plan is essential.  It works in many aspects of life, a plan will take away the pressure of not being prepared.  Out of a plan a mission will form, steps will reveal themselves, errors will show up and corrections unveiled.  Make a plan, period.

We all have different ways to detail a plan, some use a big white board, others a yellow legal pad, I like to use the sticky note method.  I have a nice big window in my office, and I write the steps of a plan, article, book, or project on the sticky notes and put them on the window.  Then I can re-arrange them to make a cohesive overview that will give a visual of the roadmap of what I'm trying to do...try it, it works!  I’ve written three books and this system has served me well.

Planning gives you purpose and helps you track your progress.  It gives you a sense of confidence on where you are and where you’re going and that brings an energy to your project that it won’t have without a plan.  That energy also builds professional into your thinking and presentation.  As you put your plan down it on paper gives you motivation to see it to completion.

Planning increases your chances of success, plain and simple.  As you research your topic/project you will make adjustments to your plan giving you more opportunity to make it very detailed and accurate.  Accuracy in planning also gives you a sense of satisfaction of a job well done.  Your clients will appreciate the work you put into making the insurance and investment suggestions you’ve obtained from your research.  Being accurate in your understanding of their purpose will also impress them and lead them to refer you to their friends and increase your business.

Well, that’s it for this installment, I hope you have some new ideas on how to proceed.  Remember to take a TRIP for a lifetime, not a trip of a lifetime.

See you next time, and in the meantime, make planning fun, creative and purposeful.

Goodbye!

Keith......