The Gift of Future Planning

written by Chyntia Brian
In the early 1980s, a leading talent agent asked if I would develop a
program to train young children to “act for the camera” so they’d be
more effective in film, television, and commercials. At the time, I had
been acting professionally for several years and had been in numerous
workshops, but I’d never taught acting.

Although flattered, I was somewhat daunted. However, I decided to accept
the challenge and spent three months creating a comprehensive lesson
plan. Every exercise, every song, every word was carefully
choreographed, leaving nothing to chance. The plan adapted the most
effective and enjoyable techniques I had learned over the years, working
with many teachers, coaches, and directors.

The talent agent looked over my plan and hired me, starting my long
career as an acting coach, teacher, and consultant specializing in
children. Since then, I’ve taught for many prestigious performing arts
academies and am very proud of my clients’ successes.

However, creating my dream job of helping others succeed as actors would
never have happened if I hadn’t overcome my insecurities by carefully
planning every detail.

When you have something you want to do and somewhere you want to be,
here’s how to get there.
1. Start with what big business calls “strategic planning.” Draft a plan
that considers all probable eventualities—everything that might go
wrong—and decide the best actions to take. This will take some research
and thinking. Try to benefit from the mistakes and achievements of
others. There is no need to reinvent the wheel. Find people who have
done what you want to do and decide which of their strategies would work
for you.
2. Write down your final plan, combining your thinking, research, goals,
and gut instincts.
3. Acquire the skills you need. Everyone is born with innate talents,
but skills are learned and developed. You may be a natural born actor,
but that won’t help you work with a camera. You’ll still need to learn
about blocking, lighting, movement, and inflection for today’s
sophisticated technologies. You may need managing or bookkeeping skills
to run a business. You’ll need special training to be a dentist,
firefighter, or circus clown. Don’t expect your doorbell to ring with
the offer of a lifetime until you know what you’re doing.
4. Find support. Surround yourself with people who support your desires
and believe in your ability to prevail. Just one person is enough to
start with. No one ever succeeds alone.
5. Believe in yourself. No plan can succeed if you lack faith in
yourself. Conceive, believe, achieve.

Once you have developed your plan, stop worrying about things you can’t
control. Work hard, but remember to enjoy the moment. You have a great
plan. All you have to do is follow it.

Exercise: Before Tomorrow Is Yesterday
If you plan your destiny carefully, you’ll succeed beyond your wildest
dreams. Here’s a quick practice to familiarize you with realistic planning.

1. At the top of a sheet of paper, list three goals for today. (They can
be three errands or phone calls or letters you want to do, or even just
the task of eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner.)

2. Below them, write an Action Plan. How will you achieve these three
goals? What steps will you take? What is your timetable?

3. Write a Resources List. What help, tools, backup, or input will you
need? Whose support or encouragement will you seek?

4. Finally, determine how you will know when each goal is achieved, and
write that down too.

Easy? Okay, let’s keep going. Get four more sheets of paper. At the top
of the first, write “Goals to achieve by a week from today.” Label the
others, “By a year from today,” “By five years from today,” and “By ten
years from today.”

Expand your Action Plan and your Resources List. Do you need to change
something you are doing or something in your surroundings or
circumstances to meet these goals? If so, do so.

* * *
If you fail to plan you plan to fail. Plan your work and work your plan

Cynthia Brian, ASID, NY Times best selling co-author of Chicken Soup for
the Gardener’s Soul , author of Be the Star You Are!®, 99 Gifts for
Living, Loving, Laughing, and Learning to Make a Difference, The
Business of Show Business, and Miracle Moments®, is an internationally
acclaimed key note speaker, personal growth consultant, host of radio
and TV shows, syndicated columnist and acting coach.
(www.star-style.com) Tune into her weekly syndicated radio program,
Starstyle-Be the Star You Are! every Thursday live from 3-4pm PST at
http://www.worldtalkradio.com/show.asp?sid=118 For coaching or to
purchase books, call 925-377-STAR (7827).

April 25, 2007 · Filed Under Business, Society

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