Organized planning is the sixth of 13 principles laid out by Napoleon Hill in his book, Think and Grow Rich. Hall's principles help guide you to a successful life. To understand principal six, I want you to think about the tallest building you’ve ever seen or your favorite book. Imagine a road trip of thousands of miles or the best meal you’ve ever eaten. What do all of these things have in common? Each started with a plan.

The Reason for Organized Planning

Whether they’re called blueprints, an outline, a map or a recipe, almost all great things in life start with an organized plan. You can't expect to succeed in any complex endeavor, which includes turning your life around and striving for success, without creating and then following an organized plan.Point to one building, and you can find blueprints for it. Can you imagine if a construction crew showed up at a site and started building something without everybody being on the same page via a plan? Or if a chef was in the kitchen of your favorite restaurant and started throwing ingredients they found on a shelf into a mixing bowl? Chances are the building would not begin, and the meal would be ruined.

Goals Setting vs. Organized Planning

Believing that you can live your life without organized plans is like being in a dark room and trying to find a light switch. You may have a general idea of where you’re going, but it’s going to take a while and involve a lot of stumbling. The best way to find a light switch in a dark room is to have a flashlight, but that involves organized planning to take the flashlight with you before you go into that room.Too many people confuse goals with plans. Simply stating, “I’m going to go into the dark room and find a light switch” may be a goal, but it is not an organized plan for how to achieve that goal. Just because you know you want to be a firefighter or open a shelter for wounded pets doesn’t mean you are going to do it. You need to figure out what steps are necessary to reach your goal.It’s like a 12-year-old saying they want to get into one of the top Ivy League schools when they are 18. It’s a great goal, but unless they commit themselves to an organized plan of achieving excellent grades in the most difficult classes and participating in the correct extracurricular activities over the next six years, they won’t end up at one.

The Organized Planning Process

Instead of creating vague plans, here are some tips for organized planning success:

1. Address the Goal

Your goal must be worthwhile to pursue, challenging yet achievable, and specific in definition. Before you create the plan, you need to understand without ambiguity, what it is that you are going after. Saying, “I’m going to be a better person” or “I want a job I love” is far-reaching. Narrow things down and make sure your plan is realistic, even if it takes a fair amount of work.

2. Set Small Goals and Deadlines

Setting small goals doesn’t mean that you need a final deadline on your main goal. In reality, reaching your goal is going to be accomplished by achieving a series of smaller ones. Figure out those goals and figure out a time frame to stay on track. Something as simple as “Research my goal on the Internet this weekend” is an important step in your overall journey.Reward yourself along the way, too. The entire payoff shouldn’t come at the end. During your organized planning phase, look for milestones where you can stop and celebrate your progress. You’ll be surprised how building these rewards can serve as motivation while you plan.

3. Work Backward or Fill in The Gaps

Planning can be challenging. If you’re not sure how to start, work backward from your final goal or fill in gaps as you think of them. Organized planning doesn’t have to be linear. It’s more about building and following a specific map to reach what you perceive as success.I help others map their goals and organize their plans to reach success, and I’d be happy to help you, too. Shoot me an email and let's talk.

To catch up on my series about how Napoleon Hill's 13 principles help you live the life you desire, start here: "Fuel Your Desire and Live Your Dream."