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Your Plan Isn’t Broken, Your Process Is — Here’s How To Fix It · Plan Like A Boss | Planning, Productivity, and Strategy for Entrepreneurs

• 0:25
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome back to Plan Like a Boss.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host, Tanya Lawson, and today we're talking about something that frustrates just about every entrepreneur, and honestly, pretty much every human with a to-do list.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_00: Why your plans keep failing.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_00: It's planner season right now.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_00: And if you've ever bought a shiny new planner, hoping it would magically fix your chaos, only to end up right back where you started, this episode is for you.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_00: So grab your coffee, your tea, or maybe even that forgotten notebook you swore you would use.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_00: And let's dig in.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: So the first reason your plans fail is you buy a new planner every time you feel unorganized.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna start with the truth bomb here.
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_00: A new planner isn't going to solve your planning struggles.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_00: Now I know it's tempting.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: Those crisp pages, the gorgeous layouts, all of those color-coded sections just waiting for you to fill them in.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_00: It feels like starting fresh, but here's the deal: the problem isn't your planner, it's how you're using it.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_00: So instead of collecting planners like Pokemon cards, try committing to using one system and giving yourself time to actually work it.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_00: Because consistency is way more powerful than novelty.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: You don't need a new planner.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_00: You just need to consistently plan.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the second reason your plans tend to fail is you plan too much in one day.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_00: I want you to raise your hand if you've ever written a daily to-do list that looks more like a wish list for a robot with 40 hours in a day.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_00: Yep, I'm guilty.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_00: I've done it.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_00: I still do it sometimes.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: When you plan more than you can humanly get done, you're setting yourself up for disappointment.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: You will feel behind before you've even started.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_00: So this is what I want you to do instead.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: I want you to cut your list in half.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: Then I want you to cut it again.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: Instead, focus on two to three things that are actually going to move the needle and then let the rest go.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_00: Or schedule it for later.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: Progress comes from priorities, not from cramming, because I've got news for you.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_00: Not everything on that list is important.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_00: So look and see which things are gonna truly move the needle towards what whatever you're working on, your goal, your business, your weight loss plan.
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_00: And then I want you to focus on those things.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_00: Now the third reason, ignore your energy levels when you plan.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_00: And this one's huge.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_00: Your brain and your body are not machines that operate at 100% all day long.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you're like me.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you're a morning person who does your best creative work before lunch.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_00: Or maybe you're a night owl and your energy doesn't even begin to kick in till 3 p.m.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: If you schedule high-focus work for the wrong time of day, your plan is gonna feel like pushing a boulder uphill.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_00: So instead, start matching your tasks to your energy.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_00: Do your deep work when you're sharp and save the lighter admin type stuff for when you're running on fumes.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, the fourth reason.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_00: Your plans are just too rigid.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_00: I've got news for you.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: Life happens.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_00: Kids get sick, clients cancel, unexpected opportunities pop up.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_00: Literally, last week my mom ended up in the hospital, and I had to change all of my plans around.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: If your plan doesn't bend, it's gonna break.
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_00: A successful plan isn't carved in stone.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_00: It's more like a GPS.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_00: You know your destination, but if you miss a turn, you just reroute.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_00: I swear my GPS hates me.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: Rerouting, rerouting, rerouting.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_00: Anyway, build in buffer time.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_00: Allow yourself flexibility and give yourself permission to shift gears without labeling it as a failure.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_00: Because life is good a life and we have to adjust for it.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_00: It doesn't mean you're failing.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_00: It means that something else is more important at the time.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, the fifth reason.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_00: You forget to look at your plan.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_00: I know this sounds silly, but it's true.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_00: The best plan in the world will not work if it stays closed up in your planner or buried in your notes app.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_00: So instead make your plan visible.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_00: Keep it open on your desk.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_00: Keep it open on your desk.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: Set reminders on your phone.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_00: Write your top three tasks on a sticky note and stick it to your laptop.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_00: The more you interact with your plan, the more likely you are to follow it.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_00: Planning is not about doing more, it's about doing the right things in the right way so that you can actually grow your business without burning out.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_00: I'd love to invite you to my upcoming planning workshop, Plan Your Quarter with Confidence.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: It's included if you're in my membership.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_00: But if you're not in my membership and you want to join us, you are welcome to do so.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: I will put the link down in the description.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_00: It's just tanyalawson.com slash plan.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: And in this workshop, I will walk you through how to set goals that you're gonna actually stick to.
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna help you break them into realistic tasks and create a flexible plan that works with your real life.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_00: Like I said, you can grab your spot at tanyalawson.comslash plan.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much for hanging out with me today.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_00: And remember, your plan doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to work for you.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_00: So until next time, keep planning like a boss.