Make No Little Plans
If you’ve been reading MoneyCrush for any length of time (thank you), you know that I’m big on the idea of setting goals and then reaching them. Especially S.M.A.R.T. goals.
I mean, I’m all about them. If I want to do something, I write it down — large or small. I once included something silly like “buy salt and pepper shakers” on a list of my goals — along with things like “pay off house“.
But you know, at the same time I think this is absolutely true:
“Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood.”
– Daniel H. Burnham
Inspiration matters
Think about it: “buy salt and pepper shakers” isn’t a goal. It’s an item on a to-do list. There’s nothing inspiring about it, and it doesn’t require much effort or any thing complicated to accomplish.
But things like “pay off the house so I have financial freedom” or “visit every country in the world” do. They take planning and time, but more importantly, they’re inspiring. They’re goals you can sink your teeth into with relish. You can daydream about what life will be like when (or as) you accomplish them. They stir your blood, and keep it stirred during the time it takes to fulfill your dream.
And that’s exactly what it takes to accomplish big things.
Make it matter
Whatever you want to accomplish has to matter to you. It has to consume your thoughts on a frequent basis, so that you do more than just idly daydream. The more you can picture it — the more it stirs your blood — the more likely you will be to act on a regular basis. (And of course, by that I mean act in a way that brings you closer to your goal.)
So make some big plans.
And then go out and make them happen. It’s your life. Make it the one you want most.
Love it! Make big plans, then figure out how to make stepping stones so you can accomplish them.
Yup, and then go for it :)
I like how you started out with salt and pepper shakers. We all have to start somewhere, But to get the really good results, the ones that we’ll be most proud of, I think the big goals are key. I also use a Dream Book with pictures from magazines to help visualize what I am shooting for. Great post, Jackie!
I have a dream board on Pinterest :)