Create Your Action Plan

Plans don’t make progress—people do. But your action plan makes progress easier. Move first. Mood follows. Momentum builds. That’s Excelerated Movement™!

[Title Photo by Kampus Production]

Excelerated Movement™: Turn a Dream into Daily Steps

The Two Pianists

Larry had a dream: learn to play the piano. He talked about it at dinner with friends, watched recital videos on YouTube, and even asked a co-worker if she knew any teachers. And he meant it. He really did. But after a question or two, he’d shrug, “I should follow up,” then tuck the idea back into the same drawer where old birthday cards go to retire. Months rolled into a year. Larry still had the dream—just no melody to show for it.

Lorraine had the same dream. On a quiet Saturday morning, she scribbled three lines on a sticky note:

1. Find a teacher.
2. Pick a time to practice.
3. Practice (even if it’s bad).

That afternoon, she looked up local teachers, read a few reviews, and scheduled two short interviews. By the next week, she’d chosen one. She also blocked 20 minutes on her calendar for “Practice: scales + easy piece.” The first few sessions sounded like a cat investigating a xylophone. Some days, life happened and she missed. But she never missed two days in a row. A year later, Lorraine didn’t play Rachmaninoff or Bach, but she gave a warm, confident recital. Her dream had become a goal because she created an action plan. And then honored it with motion.

Larry had desire. Lorraine had direction. The difference wasn’t talent; it was a plan that moved.

What Is an Action Plan?

Think of an action plan as a roadmap between “someday” and “started.” It breaks a BIG (Bold-Important-Gratifying) goal into visible, doable steps—a sequence plus a timeline—so your effort has a lane to drive in. A strong plan does four things:

• Clarifies what you’re actually doing (and what you’re not).
• Prioritizes the next right step.
• Motivates through small wins and visible progress.
• Flexes as reality changes.

The plan doesn’t guarantee arrival. It guarantees movement. When you write a plan, you’re telling your brain, “We’re not wandering anymore.”

“The power of a plan is not that it will get you there. The power of a plan is that it will get you started.” — Jeff Olson

Who Needs an Action Plan (and Why)

Short answer: you, if you want your dream to stop living only in your head.

Without a plan, you become the professional “intender.” That’s Larry: a good person with a dream who never gets beyond the wishing stage. With a plan, you become Lorraine: still human, still imperfect, but on the field, taking swings, missing some, connecting with more as you go.

Here’s why a written plan helps:

• It shrinks overwhelm. BIG goals look like a mountain. Steps cut a trail.
• It orders your day. You know what to do first, what to do next, and what not to do at all.
• It builds momentum. Progress, however tiny, creates energy for the next step.
• It welcomes real life. When (not if) things change, you adjust your plan instead of abandoning your goal.

Excelerated Movement™: The Engine of Follow-Through

In the Excelerated Life™ framework, Excelerated Movement™ is the practice that turns intention into momentum. Pair it with Excelerated Goal Setting™—where you name the BIG goal—and now you have ignition plus thrust. Goal Setting defines where and why; Movement defines what and when.

Here’s the promise of Excelerated Movement™: motion before motivation. You don’t wait to feel ready; you get ready by moving. You don’t chase perfect steps; you take the next step.

Let’s build your plan.

Start Where You Stand: Choose the First Step

“What’s my first step?” depends on your goal, your context, and your season of life. But here’s one truth that cuts across every domain: first steps succeed when they are foolishly easy. If your first step demands courage, heavy logistics, or a burst of inspiration, it isn’t a first step; it’s step four pretending to be step one.

From the Excelerated Movement™ Workbook, here are Small, Simple Ways to Start Moving. Use them as prompts to design your own first step:

• Choose one goal to focus on this month.
• Break it into small, visible actions.
• Schedule one action per day or per week.
• Set a time each day for focused execution.
• Use the prompt: “Now what needs to be done?”
• Practice saying yes to your goal and no to distractions.
• Review your calendar weekly for alignment.
• Create an accountability ritual or partner.
• Celebrate small wins to reinforce momentum.
• Visualize the positive outcome of taking action.

Pro tip: Start by doing the part you’re least likely to avoid. Or, if resistance is high, do the easiest possible version to get a quick win. Either route breaks the ice.

The Psychology of Progress: Give Yourself Two “Pre-Punched” Steps

There’s a reason some coffee shops hand you a loyalty card with twelve boxes—two already stamped—even though you still need to buy ten cups. Seeing early progress lights up the brain’s reward centers and increases the likelihood of completing the task. [Berger] Do the same with your plan:

• Count what you’ve already done as Step 0 (research, supplies, past attempts).
• Pre-stamp an “easy win” you can complete in 5–10 minutes today.
• Track streaks and let them motivate you (but don’t make streaks fragile. Missing one day is fine; missing two creates a slide).

You’re not tricking yourself; you’re supporting yourself. Momentum is a feature, not a flaw.

Build Your Action Plan (In Four Straightforward Moves)

This is the Excelerated Movement™ approach to a written plan. Keep it lightweight. Keep it visible. And keep it moving.

1) Name the BIG Goal

Your BIG goal is Bold (for you), Important (to you), and Gratifying (to you). It’s personal, meaningful, and a little bit thrilling. If you don’t have one named yet, pause here and define it. If you need help, you can use The Goal Achievement Excelerator and the Excelerator JumpStart – Goal Setting workbook.

Reflection Questions

• Why is this goal worth a year of my life?
• What will be better—specifically—if I do this?
• If I had to reduce this goal by half, what would remain essential?

2) Break It Down (Outcome → Milestones → Steps)

Outcome: one clear result (e.g., “Perform a 10-minute piano recital by November”).
Milestones: 3–5 chunks that divide the journey (e.g., “Finish Level 1 method book,” “Learn three recital pieces”).
Steps: small, visible actions that fit on a daily/weekly calendar (e.g., “15 minutes scales, 5 minutes sight-reading, 10 minutes piece #1”). Use one (or more) of Thomas Sterner’s “Four S-words”: Simple, Small, Short, and Slow.

Action: Draft your milestones. For each milestone, list 3–7 steps that would obviously move it forward.

Reflection Question

• What’s the smallest, most visible action that proves the milestone is advancing?

3) Schedule the Steps (Make It Real in Time)

If it isn’t scheduled, it’s optional. And optional loses to emergencies, emails, and “later.” Put your steps on the calendar in blocks you’ll actually honor.

• Consistent time beats long time. Fifteen faithful minutes > two heroic hours that never happen.
• Anchor to routines. “After breakfast, I practice.” “Before dinner, I draft.”
• Guard the appointment. You wouldn’t skip a meeting with your boss. Be the boss.

Action: Choose your Primary Work Window (even 15–30 minutes). Put three sessions on the calendar for the next week. Done is the path.

4) Run the Weekly Review (Adjust, Don’t Abandon)

Plans meet reality every seven days. A simple weekly review keeps you honest and agile.

• What tiny wins did I log?
• What blocked me?
• What will I change next week (one tweak only)?
• What’s the single most important step for the next seven days?

Action: Set a recurring 15-minute review. Friday afternoon or Sunday evening works well. Bring a pen. Keep it simple.

The Stepladders Lens: Stay on the Path

From Stick With It: people need dreams for motivation, but focusing only on dreams makes many quit. The antidote is Stepladders—aligning Dreams → Goals → Steps.

• Dreams inspire (long horizon, not directly actionable).
• Goals bridge the dream to a nearer result (short- to long-term).
• Steps are tiny actions (< a week; often < a day) that you can actually do.

Stepladders isn’t a formula to magically accomplish dreams. It’s a structure that keeps you on the path long enough to become the person who accomplishes them. That’s Excelerated Movement™ in a nutshell: keep moving, keep adjusting, keep showing up.

Reflection Questions

• Which part am I overemphasizing—dream, goal, or steps?
• What’s one step I can do today that makes the next step easier tomorrow?

Priorities: Decide What Not to Do

A plan that tries to do everything does nothing well. Your action plan must include subtracting. [Klotz]

• Stop starting new things until you log consistent motion on the current one.
• Say no to “good” tasks that don’t move the milestone.
• Batch or automate maintenance tasks so they don’t cannibalize focus.
• Park ideas in a “Later” list. (Capture the impulse; protect the plan.)

One-Sentence Filter: “Does this step move the milestone this week?” If not, it waits.

[Photo by Jorge Arturo Andrade]

Motivation vs. Motion (Stop Waiting to Feel Like It)

Motivation is a mood; motion is a choice. On days when the spark is dim, shrink the step.

• Write 50 words.
• Practice three scales.
• Walk five minutes.
• Clear one file.
• Read two pages.

Then, if momentum shows up, great! Do more. If not, you still protected the identity you’re building: “I’m a person who moves on what matters.” That identity compounds.

Reflection Question

• What is my “even on a bad day” version of this step?

Your Action Plan, Illustrated (Lorraine’s Recital)

Let’s track how Lorraine turned a dream into a plan.

BIG Goal: Give a 10-minute beginner recital in one year.
Milestones:

1. Find a teacher and start lessons.
2. Build a daily practice habit.
3. Learn three pieces to performance level.
4. Organize a small recital for family and friends.

Steps (initial draft):

• Research three local teachers; schedule two interviews this week.
• Choose one and book a weekly lesson slot.
• Practice schedule: 20 minutes, Mon–Fri at 7:30 p.m. (phone on “Do Not Disturb”).
• Practice structure: 5 minutes scales, 5 minutes sight-reading, 10 minutes piece work.
• End-of-week check-in: Record one minute of progress.
• By month three: choose first recital piece.
• By month six: add second piece.
• By month nine: add third piece.
• By month eleven: schedule recital date and invite list.

Weekly Review Rhythm:

• Wins: kept 4/5 practices; can play the right hand cleanly.
• Blockers: late work night on Wednesday; skipped practice.
• Tweak: move practice to before dinner on lesson night.
• Next week’s focus: finish memorizing A section of Piece #1.

Not fancy. Not perfect. Just directional and alive. And that’s enough.

Accountability That Doesn’t Annoy You

Accountability works best when it reduces friction instead of adding pressure.

Try one:

• Ritual message to a partner: “Started” and “Done” text—no commentary needed.
• Public micro-commitment: One sentence on social media each Friday: “What I moved this week.”
• Visible tracker: A calendar where you mark sessions, not minutes.
• Self-reward: Simple pleasure after each session (tea, a chapter of a novel, 10 minutes of a favorite show).

Reflection Question

• Which accountability method would feel supportive—not suffocating?

When Life Happens: Flex Without Quitting

You wrote the plan for a reason; now you adjust it for reality.

• If you miss a day: aim never to miss two.
• If you hit a wall: switch to the smallest possible step and finish it.
• If the plan is wrong: great—now you know. Edit it.
• If the season changes: rewrite milestones to match capacity.

Movement isn’t fragile. It’s adaptive.

Action: Add a “Plan B” version for your top three steps (the 5-minute or “half-size” alternative). Put them in your notes where you’ll see them.

Avoid These Common Plan Killers

• Vague verbs: “Work on project” means nothing. Use concrete verbs: draft, call, outline, email, practice, ship.
• Oversized steps: If it takes more than 30 minutes at your current skill level, split it.
• Calendar lies: If you never honor a certain time slot, stop pretending. Pick a slot you’ll actually protect.
• Perfection paralysis: You’re allowed to do it badly before you do it well.
• Invisible wins: If you don’t track progress, your brain forgets it happened.

Reflection Question

• Which of these traps shows up for me most often—and what’s my counter-move?

The “Now What Needs to Be Done?” Prompt

This is the Excelerated Movement™ mantra. When you feel stuck, tempted to tinker, or drifting into busywork, ask:

Now what needs to be done?

Answer with one concrete action you can do in the next 10 minutes. Then do that—no drama, no debate. Repeat as necessary.

Make It Yours: Draft Your Action Plan Today

Use this simple template to create your plan in under 20 minutes.

1) BIG Goal:
Write one sentence that is Bold, Important, and Gratifying for you.

2) Milestones (3–5):
List the major chunks you’ll complete over the next 3–12 months.

3) First Week Steps (3–7):
Each step should be finishable and visible. Schedule them.

4) Primary Work Window:
Name your daily/weekly time block. Protect it like an appointment.

5) Weekly Review:
Pick a time. Choose one tweak. Celebrate one win.

6) Accountability Lite:
Pick a ritual that helps you show up.

Action (Right Now): Pre-punch two boxes. Count one thing you’ve already done as Step 0. Then complete a 5–10 minute step today.

Reflection Questions (For Your Journal)

• What dream have I held long enough that it’s time to move?
• Where am I waiting for confidence instead of building it through action?
• Which single change to my schedule would unlock the most consistent progress?
• If I could only keep one milestone for this goal, which one matters most?
• What tiny win today would make me proud tomorrow?

Your Next Step (Yes, Today)

“Setting a goal is easy; achieving it is the hard part.” — Lian Parsons

That’s why we don’t leave achievement to chance. We create movement.

1. Write your BIG goal sentence.
2. List three milestones.
3. Schedule your first three steps.
4. Do the smallest one today.

You don’t need to be Larry; he’s busy wishing. Be Lorraine. She’s busy practicing.

Momentum Follows Movement

• Start your plan: Draft your BIG Goal and first three milestones.
• Book time: Put three work sessions on next week’s calendar—right now.
• Take one tiny step today: Five minutes counts.
• Optional support: Use The Goal Achievement Excelerator to clarify your target.

Then tell yourself the plain truth: “I’m in motion.” Because you are. And that’s how the music begins.

Plans don’t make progress—people do. But good plans make progress easier for people. Your dream becomes a goal when it gets a roadmap. Your goal becomes reality when the roadmap gets a schedule—and you keep your appointments.

Move first. Mood follows. Momentum builds. That’s Excelerated Movement™. And that is embracing your Excelerated Life™!

What’s one BIG goal you’ve been holding onto that’s ready for movement?
What’s the first small step you could take today to set it in motion?
Share your comments by leaving a post below.

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Excelerated Movement™ — taking right action in pursuit of your goals — is one practice for creating your Excelerated Life™, a life of flourishing and well-being, and a life of meaning, purpose, and service.

Read more about the Excelerated Life™.

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Resources:

Berger, Jonah. The Catalyst: How to Change Anyone’s Mind. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2020.

Klotz, Leidy. Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less. New York: Flatiron Books, 2021.

Olson, Jeff. The Slight Edge. Austin, TX: Greenleaf Book Group Press, 2005-2013.

Sterner, Thomas M. The Practicing Mind: Developing Focus and Discipline in Your Life. Novato, CA: New World Library, 2005, 2012.

Young, Sean D. Stick With It. New York: HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 2017.

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This blog post includes research information and suggestions provided by ChatGPT, an AI language model developed by OpenAI. The content was generated with AI assistance and is intended to provide information and guidance. Please note that the suggestions are not official statements from OpenAI. To learn more about ChatGPT and its capabilities, you can visit the OpenAI website.