Success Step 4: Action - Take Action NOW!

Part four of seven of The IMAGE Success System (Imagine, Manage, Act, Grow, Enjoy!) This should be a fun part of making your Imagine happen. This is where you start to see some results - but only if you take action! And remember, after each action you take, you get to Enjoy!

Let's review your Manage, or your plan. What are the main parts of the plan? Make a schedule and implement each part of your plan in succession. Remember the key steps to Manage - Scope, Money and Time.

For example, if you are planning a trip, you will look first at budget. You have already done your research, so you should now have an approximate cost associated. Do you have that money already in your bank account? If not, how are you going to get it?

To make sure you get the money, set up an automatic deposit into a travel savings account. After you set the amount, decide when you want to go on this vacation (Time)? Take the estimated cost of the trip and divide it by the number of months until that time. Round up. That is the amount you want to put into your travel savings account each month.

If the monthly amount seems unreasonable, then figure out how to make it reasonable! Maybe you should cut back on lunches out (save $10/day x 20 = $200/month). Make your own coffee instead of going to a coffee shop ($4/day x 20 = $80/month). That is $280 a month! And if you plan on going in three months, 3 x $280 = $840. How easy is that? Think of other things that you can cut back on. Keep in mind that this is temporary until you make your Imagine happen.

Now, another way to make your budget work is to take action and adjust the amount of time it will take to get to your Imagine. So, if you are planning a trip, maybe you can't do it in three months, but certainly can in six months. $280/month x 6 = $1,686. That should be plenty. You don't have to stay at a 5 star resort. I find that staying at “medium” hotels more authentic and relaxed anyway.

See how simple it can be to take Action? Just do it. Set up automatic ways to make the cost not an issue. What comes next? Grow and learn! As with all of the steps, make sure you write down what is working and what isn't about your manage and action. This is very important to help you make sure to adjust your manage accordingly.