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The “Getting Things Done” philosophy has helped me make better, clearer plans for achieving my goals. I want to share with you some of the best points of this philosophy so you can use them in your plans as well. First though, a brief introduction on what “Getting Things Done” is.

After looking around and getting my hands on every course, book or program that crosses my way, I have come to realize that there are but a few really integral solutions in the matter of developing and executing a personal development plan.

One of those, the best in my opinion, is “Getting Things Done“, by David Allen.  I consider “Getting Things Done”, or GTD for short, an integral solution because it guides you through the whole process, from Organizing, to Planning, to Execution. You can start from being completely lost and without knowing what to do, and end up with a well structured, clearly organized and prioritized action list that will make taking action as easy as it can ever be.

Regarding personal development plans, GTD has many strong points that make it the obvious choice. It covers project management in depth, a vital skill since personal development is one f the biggest projects in your life. It also covers time and life management, something particularly useful when it comes to taking the plan into action. Probably the best point is its task prioritizing aspect, which leads to better, more flexible plans that do not crumble at the first sight of trouble.

Besides personal development plans, GTD also helps you build the skills necessary for better managing work projects, better goal setting and better people management. These are all very important skills, whether you are an employee, a home business owner or an executive at a Fortune 500 company.

The points I want to share with you today are simple yet very effective when it comes to proper planning. These are two questions that you should ask yourself, and answer every time you are about to plan or do something. First, what is the outcome? Second, what is the next action required?

“What is the outcome?” is a the most important question you can ask yourself in almost any situation. It is a question common in all the teachings of the major gurus from Napoleon Hill and Earl Nightingale, to David Allen, Brian Tracy, Dan Kennedy and Tony Robbins. It is just that important.

If you do not know the outcome for your actions, you have lost from the start, period. Getting clear on your outcome will be one of the best things you can do at any given moment.

“What is the next action?” is just as important when planning something. Many times I have seen people who have found their clear outcome, yet are completely lost on where to start taking action about it. Knowing what to do next in order to move the plan forward is absolutely necessary.

The most important factor to consider here is that the next action has to be completely thought through. This is, it shall not require further consideration upon execution. When the rubber meets the road, if you need to stop and think, you will be run over. You need to have thought before.

If you master these two questions and apply them to your plans and to your life, you will see, not only your productivity, but your effectiveness as well, skyrocket into the stratosphere.

Take some time to reflect upon these two questions and decide to start applying them today!

Get started with Getting Things Done now!