By now, you should have a list of your goals for this year and mapped subgoals into all of the months and weeks. This may feel like a “plan,” but it doesn’t really describe how you will make progress to accomplish all of those goals.

You will need a plan to attack each unique goal. At its most basic level, a plan is a list of resources and tasks you need to complete to achieve a goal. Using a timeline to determine sequencing and effort also helps you prioritize, focus, and manage your time on those tasks more effectively.

For example, I establish a tentative date when I think I can accomplish a goal based on my estimate of the work required and how long I think it will take. Then, I start planning and scheduling the actions I must complete to make it happen.

As I begin to capture those actions and tasks, it reminds me of other things I’ll have to do. The act of planning makes it real. It also reveals gaps in your strategy.

Inevitably, the final detailed p…