It’s easy for me to say you should be working on your 2016 planning right? You know that – and I’m sure you’ve seen a plethora of articles and promotions telling you the same thing. (Tis the season to be planning… fa la la la la 😉

So why haven’t you got your 2016 planning done yet? Here’s the top 5 reasons I see my clients struggle with planning:

1) IT’S BORING

If you are a creative person you might think ‘bah humbug!’ when it comes to planning. You might yawn or cringe when you think of planning. Or you might even want to run screaming!

Planning is actually a creative activity – it’s the process of tapping into your DESIRES, making a DECISION on what you really want and then creating ways to BRING IT TO LIFE. This is a creative endeavor, and I daresay one of the most powerful ways to channel success in your business.

It doesn’t have to be your favorite thing to do, but it can certainly be a lot more enjoyable when we invite creativity to the table. You can plan with sticky notes, markers & poster board. You can plan with notebooks, spreadsheets and checklists. You can plan with a handful of friends and a glass of wine. There is no right way to plan, so long as you end up with a clear path to your success.

2) ADDICTED TO THE CHAOS

I spent the first 10 years of my business flying by the seat of my pants – and a part of me loved it! I would wake up each morning not knowing what would land in my lap. I would open up my inbox wondering ‘who’ would be there. I would tackle challenges as they arose with pep and vigor because I am a master fire-fighter and put HUGE value on being the one to swoop in and save the day.

And I would spin my wheels, year after year… things were OK but I was stagnant, never really getting ahead. And at a certain point I became tired of constantly chasing success and living in uncertainty.

That is when I started to plan ahead and work towards what I wanted – instead of just waiting to see what would show up for me. I let go of the idea of ‘going with the flow’, picked up the paddle and started heading intentionally towards success. (The first year I started planning was also the year I hit 6-figures in my business – not a coincidence.)

As long as you are addicted to the chaos your plan won’t matter – you will always be at the mercy of the day.

3) DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU WANT

Maybe planning isn’t the issue. Maybe you haven’t tapped into the TRUTH of what you really want to create next year? There is no point trying to create a plan until you are clear on your DESIRES.

What you want is going to change. It’s going to evolve. What I want becomes deeper, more refined each year as I continue to grow.

As a default we tend to just say we want the same things that we wanted last year. But is that really true? Maybe you are avoiding the truth of what you really want. Maybe it will require some big changes. Maybe you are afraid or letting people down or afraid of what they might think.

Creating a solid vision – what you want and why – is the foundation of any plan. It becomes the fuel that will drive you through implementation. The touchstone when you are having one of those ‘I think I’ll ditch this plan and go get a job moments’.

4) RESPONSIBILITY IS SCARY

Let’s be real – you could create the most amazing plan in the world and fall flat on your face. Creating a plan brings the assumption that you are going to be successful, and yet there is no guarantee that you will!

This is scary stuff. What if you pour your heart and soul into your plan and it doesn’t work out? What if your butt is on the line and you fail? This is where business really calls us to step up – to be willing to risk the plan.

If you don’t plan you can’t fail right? And yet the true path to success lies in taking responsibility for ALL of the journey. Not just the good stuff.

Going with the flow is a good way to abdicate your success. It’s a way to say ‘well, it must not be meant to be’ or ‘I guess it’s not my time’. You are completely disempowered when you rely on something outside of yourself to bring success your way. When you wait for permission, to be told it’s OK to go for what you really want.

Planning is the first step in personal responsibility. In claiming our birthright as powerful beings who are serving our purpose and making a difference.

5) DON’T HAVE THE TIME

You can either spend the time upfront planning – or you can spend the time later spinning your wheels, making it up as you go, dropping balls, picking them up again and scrambling your way to success.

There is no such thing as not enough time – time is the great equalizer, we all have the same 24 hours in a day. What you really need to consider here is:

You have a choice as to how you want to run your business.

Do you want to put off planning and stay stuck in ‘make it up as you go with the flow’ mode? Crossing your fingers and hoping that success shows up someday.

Or do you want to be a strong leader who is willing to DECLARE what she wants, is committed to her VISION and is willing to do the HARD WORK upfront to make it happen.

Someone who is willing to say ‘alright world, here’s what I’m going for and I may fall flat on my face but I am going for it anyways!’ Bring it on baby…

Which do you choose?

 ** Want some help with your plan? Check out our Planning Made Simple process – jump in and start planning for success TODAY **