Look Back to Move Forward

You are more certain to succeed with implementing your ideas when you develop a strategy for doing so. One way to determine your implementation strategy is to work backwards.

Determine your end result – what does your world look like when your idea is fully implemented? Then work backwards, identifying milestones along the way that must be in place in order for the next milestone to take place.

For example, I have an idea for a craft project. Working my way backwards to create my implementation strategy I identify the following milestones:

(9) End result (idea completed) = the finished craft project.

(8) Examine the assembled project.

(7) Permanently glue project components into place.

(6) Adjust for fit / changes.

(5) Put together the project components using temporary adhesion.

(4) Lay out the project components.

(3) Purchase / obtain the project components.

(2) Create a shopping list for the components of the project and necessary supplies.

(1) Sketch my vision of the craft project.

This backwards approach is akin to the commercial that shows a product being taken apart component by component. You peel back the layers of your idea, figuratively speaking.