Can you plan to succeed... or go with the flow?

Following a coaching session yesterday I got to thinking... do you need a plan to succeed, or can success come from going with (or being in)the flow?

First of all, what is success? Here I'm using the term to describe achieving your goals. The goal setting, ie knowing what you want to achieve is important. Having clarity around these, ie more work, or more income are not specific - how much more?(or what would you like to be able to do with the money earned?)

Once your goals are set, and that doesn't mean set in stone - goals need to evolve along with the changing times and circumstances we all experience - what next?

Plans to achieve the goals can be very helpful for some people - but are they really necessary? Sometimes the plans themselves become the driver and take over from the goal, becoming the goal themselves, proving to be highly unproductive.

Sticking to rigid plans can be constraining or be seen as a discipline. That depends on your personality/working style.

My belief is that there is no definite way to achieving goals and being successful. You do need to know very clearly what your goals are, keeping them in mind and be willing to take action to achieve them - then sometimes trusting the Universe to find a way is all that is needed.

Having a step-by-step plan to move towards goals works for some people, but not for all. So don't beat yourself up if you are not a step-by-step planner, if you can't stick rigidly to your actions and if your interest is diverted by something which comes along.

Do keep your goals in mind and be open to the possibility of achieving them through taking action.

Good luck!