From Ray Dalio’s Principles.

1) Define the goal.

Whether it’s in your work, a relationship, or your health…you have to know what you’re working toward and what you want.

e.g. Get more work done, improve sex life, build an exercise habit

2) Define the problem(s).

What is getting in your way of reaching the goal?

For this step, don’t start thinking about solutions yet. The point is to dump all possible obstacles standing in your way.

e.g. Distractions, lack of romantic passion, hate the gym

3) Diagnose the problem(s).

Now that you have defined the challenges keeping you from your goal, go a level deeper and identify where those problems are coming from or why they exist.

e.g. Distractions—I keep my phone on my desk and my email open during work; Lack of romantic passion—I’ve been having sex with the same person for years and want things to be more interesting; Hate the gym—I’m insecure because I’m out of shape and don’t know what I’m doing when I work out

4) Create a plan.

Armed with your specific problems, design a specific set of actions to resolve them.

This is arguably the most important step. It’s why you’re doing this in the first place; otherwise, you’re right back to where you were before.

e.g. Distractions—Put my phone on airplane mode and keep it in another room while I’m working, only check email twice each day; Lack of romantic passion—Sit down and have an open and honest conversation with my partner about how I feel and what I want, brainstorm ideas with them; Hate the gym—Find a workout buddy who knows what they’re doing and join them at the gym, slowly getting fitter and more knowledgable on how to exercise well

5) Execute the plan.

Do the damn thing.

A plan can be perfectly crafted, but that doesn’t mean anything unless you put it into action.

This will be the difference between you actually making things happen and you simply wishing you could make things happen.