D

You have identified your goal in life. You know what you want to do and when. You also understand how you set about achieving your final goal. These three elements form the basis of your master plan. "What", "how" and "when".

The fourth element is, of course, "you". You are the only one who knows what you want to achieve and how you intend to do that. The final success or failure of the plan is in your hands. One important secret of success is to keep the whole strategy and any short-term plans, simple.

Simplicity is a huge factor in the success of any project. The more complicated the business is, the more likely it is to fail Achieving simplicity can be a short-term goal in itself, one that should make the success of the activity certain.

How to achieve simplicity is a skill in itself. There are several ways of approaching the issue of simplicity. First of all, you will need to decide what it is that you are trying to achieve. How is this currently achieved, or what is your plan to do it? Secondly, you need to examine that process and determine what can be taken away and still allow the desired result.

Next, consider the problem from every possible angle and see if there is a simpler way of doing the same job. Lastly, when you are doing a job, are you likely to consider something you do as necessary when, in reality, it is not?

Simplifying a task does not mean doing an unsatisfactory job. Often it can lead to doing a better job. Take the example of a messy desk. Organizing the mess is an excellent first step, then reducing it by removing what is not needed. Then ensure that everything on the desk has a purpose that you understand. You can then trust that what you need is there when you need it.