How Planning For The Future Can Hurt!
Just in case.
In the future, we might need to connect our software to another app.In the future, we might need to accommodate this new type of encryption for transfers.In the future, we might need to have a data base setup for users to store this special information.
Guess what?
It’s now.It’s not the future.The time and resources you spend building something for 5 or 10 years down the road is most likely going to be wasted.Its really hard to predict how many users, clients, customers, attendees, patients, or students you will have.
In fact, you will most certainly be wrong.
Stop future proof-ing your work.Plan for the reasonable next steps, but STOP looking 5 or more years out and making tactical, EVERYDAY decisions based on what MIGHT happen.Plan for the plan.Then adapt to reality.Don’t take action on all the things that might be.
2 Minute Action
Whats 1 thing that will make tomorrow easier?It can be setting out your workout clothes for the morning.It can be responding to an email or two tonight.It can be looking at your calendar and setting up some tasks for tomorrow.Pick one thing and go for it.Front-load the work and you will hit the ground running.
The Practical Reason To Stop Planning and Dreaming
The life plan. Lots of people make them or at least, dream of them. Dreaming is fun, because you get to taste what things could be like. The only catch is when you snap back to “reality” and continue to grind the same grind.
Dreaming is fun but without action: it’s just indulgence.
And to be clear, dreaming is not planning. And to be clear, planning is not taking action. Dreaming is only useful if it inspires you to act. Planning is only useful if it helps you discover concrete actions that you can take right now. Creating the timeline for how your life will go isn’t helpful, it’s vain and imaginary. Backing into a list of specific behaviors, habits, and skills you’ll need to actualize those dreams and plans is the key.
2 Minute Action
When was the last time you had a vision for the future?If you’re a planner, what was the last benchmark or milestone you scheduled?Here’s your chance to bring in an accountabilibuddy, throw away all the junk food in your pantry, or setup an automatic savings plan with your bank. In 2 minutes you can take the first action.
How To Plan
Plan for reality
Well, what does that mean?Here's a list to get straight to the point:
- Define “done”
- Prioritize the work based on value to the project
- The map is not the terrain
- The plan is always wrong, A.K.A. your Gantt Chart
- Don’t plan years in advance, just enough to keep your teams at capacity
- Size things relative to what you know
- Get serious about logical fallacies to avoid groupthink, etc.
- Stop using "I think how much time this will take" and start using a point system to estimate tasks
- Humans think in narratives. Think of who, then why, then what
- Religiously measure project velocity
- Shoot first, measure results second, adjust third
When you get more in touch with what's real, you get more in touch with what works.
2 Minute Action:
Congrats on having a project.Now make a list of everything that will go wrong.Now estimate the likelihood of the 3 biggest risks.What might you do to mitigate?Now you're more ready for reality.