Creating an Action Plan for Change

"I want to get better sleep."
"I plan to run my first marathon next year."
"I’d like to reduce my stress."
"I want to spend more time with my father."

We all have changes we’d like to make. Goals around health, relationships, and career are common  but your goal could be just about anything. Coming up with goals isn’t hard, the difficulty is obtaining them.

In order to make a successful, lasting change, you’ll need effort, persistence, and a good plan.

Make your plan specific. Start by clarifying your goal. What, exactly, do you want to accomplish? How will you know you’ve accomplished it? Is there a deadline? When, where, or how will you work toward the goal?

Example: I want to have a consistent sleep schedule. 

Take small, measurable steps. Most goals can be broken down into a series of small steps. Start with the first small step to make your goal more manageable. You’ll move to the next step after you’ve achieved success with the one before it.

Example: I will get out of bed at the same time every morning this week.

Be prepared for setbacks. Most of us don’t achieve our goals on the first try. Give yourself the mindset of a realistic optimist. Stay positive and confident that you’ll reach your goal in the end, but anticipate mistakes, failures, and setbacks along the way. Brainstorm any barriers that might come between you and success. Decide now how you’ll remove them or deal with them if they come up.  

Example: I usually feel like sleeping in on the weekends. I will schedule a morning walk with a friend to make sure I get up on time.  

Review your progress. At each step, take a moment to evaluate how you’re doing. If you’re not making the progress you’d like, ask why. Did you take on too much? Is there something else in your life that’s interfering? Here’s where the persistence comes in: modify your plan and start again. In time, you’ll get there. 

Example: I woke up at the same time most days, but I felt really tired the morning after I stayed up late working on a big project and I ended up napping during the day. I'll work on going to bed at the same time each night in the week ahead.

Start planning now with the Hill Physicians action plan  (pdf).

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