At the grand tactical level it is extremely helpful to be specific on how we may achieve our goals. It is beneficial to think at a low level and list out all the steps to manage the goals that we choose just as much as we orient our goals to our objectives at the higher level of thinking. Here’s where our imagination has to be grounded in the reality of how we make things happen. A good approach is to employ the method in the book of Genesis: 1) set a goal, 2) list the steps to reach it, 3) the steps and , 4) rest and relax after we’re done. I poke fun a bit, however, the important time to include is the down time. By doing so, we build in the opportunity to reflect and recognize how effective and efficient we have been in the execution of our plans. This recognition is part of future grand tactical management of relating our short term proximate goals with our long term distal objectives and ultimately our vision for ourselves.

Relative to our goal planing it is highly effective to get our brains wired for small goals. By building small wins our sense of success and accomplishment build momentum over time. By focusing on small goals, the larger goals and objectives are not as challenging. It’s much like the old proverb of eating an elephant. How do we eat an elephant that is more than 70 times our mass? We do it one bite at at time. The same is true of our vision and objectives. Our vision emerges in our life through the little goals we achieve in our lives. Achieving our small goals makes discipline a habit. Our small goals are the link between the external order and success and our internal self-discipline. Additionally, we make better decisions when we operate within an ordered environment. Therefore, when communicating our goals to others, employ the under promise and over deliver mantra. When we meet our goals prior to when we promised we build an appreciation in others for how successful and consistent we are. This has the potential to become a positive feedback loop that makes it even easier to achieve our objectives and vision. Small changes over the long term are what make us successful no matter what our visions, objectives and goals are. Incremental change increases our value in a pattern similar to the stock market. There are ups and downs, however, focusing on continual improvement keeps our trend line sloped upward.