Action Plan Assignment:

Follow the steps below to create a detailed action plan based on the goal you set on BlackBoard for Discussion Board Question – Lesson 1. Make sure you follow and label all the steps below; identify each step in your completed assignment.

Action Plans

If you want to accomplish your goals, you need to create a step by step action plan to achieve them. We don’t want you to make the mistake of creating goals without making an action plan to achieve them. Wanting something does not a plan make.

What is an action plan?

An action plan is the step-by-step method that you will use to reach your goal. It’s like a plan of attack. It’s a way to break up huge, overwhelming tasks into smaller, more manageable ones. If you’re overwhelmed by the amount of work your goal will take, an action plan will make it feel achievable.

Why do I need an action plan?

Creating action plans is an important step in reaching your goals. Usually, students have vague goal ideas floating around in their heads until they forgot about them or just create a new one (which can go on and on providing no real direction for accomplishing anything; flying by the seat of their pants). Breaking your goals down into an action plan will help you get more done and generally feel more on top of your life. Also, it’s rewarding to feel like your making progress even if you haven’t achieved the end goal yet.

Steps to Creating Your Action Plan:

*Identify each step in your answers.

Step 1: Write your SMART Goal (This should have been completed in your BlackBoard Discussion Board Question)

Step 2: Set Deadlines- Set a deadline for your goal. Be realistic with your time frame, but challenge yourself to get it done sooner rather than later. In most cases, you’ll only need to make sure that the date in Step 1 is realistic, then write it again here.

Step 3: Your ‘Why’- Write your reason for pursuing this goal. Your ‘why’ is important for helping you identify the positive impact this goal will have on your life.

Step 4: Habits – Identify a daily or weekly habit that will keep you on track with your goal. For example, keeping your phone in airplane mode while you study. Habits are the framework for success, so it’s important to align your habits with your goals.

Step 5: Research – It’s time to do some research. Your research may involve looking online, going to the library, talking to your Academic or Faculty Advisor, perusing the website of your career field’s national organization(s), or speaking with people who have prior knowledge or experience with your end goal. You need to find out exactly what it’s going to take to accomplish your goal. Explain what you’ve researched here.

Step 6: Action Steps – List every single step that needs to happen to achieve this goal. What does it take to accomplish your goal? How will you get from point A to point Z? These are also called ‘short term goals’.

Step 7: Order Your Steps – Review your list of action steps (in Step 6) and order them in a way that makes sense based on what needs to happen first. Next to each step, identify every resource you currently have and those you will need to complete your steps (this takes a little foresight and/or help from someone with some wisdom and experience).

Step 8: Smaller Tasks – For each action step you’ve identified, ask yourself what smaller tasks need to get done to make the larger action step easier for you. Break down the steps even further to achieve your goal down into the smallest steps possible. If there is more than one action to take for each step, continue to break it down until there is only one thing to do for each action step. Once you’ve done that, if you’re comfortable doing so, you can then condense/group your list into several action steps (depending on the magnitude of your goal). For example, if you need to register for classes, you may also need to review your program requirements, check your transcript for those classes you’ve already taken, schedule an appointment with an Academic Advisor, attend that appointment, etc.

Step 9: Due Dates – Create a weekly/monthly list of actions that you will accomplish/complete each week/month to reach your goal. Set a start date and end date for each action step and smaller tasks. Make the due dates attainable based on the factors needed for its completion, so you don’t lose faith and give up. Add them to your calendar or to-do list.