How to reach goals.
Or a minute of planning and staying sane
— Why am I not getting anything done?
Because you’re bouncing from one thing to another. No focus.
And keep forgetting what you wanted in the first place. Why? No plan.
— But why plan if nothing goes according to plan?
Let’s unpack it.
Bloody years in business, and yet I still “discover” the same thing every time—nothing gets done on time.
Think that’s just for Mars missions? Same shit with the bathroom remodel. So, if you need to go… improvise.
Murphy’s Law, bless it—if something can go wrong, it fck will. Doesn’t care what you think.
It’s everywhere. Nobody meets deadlines, and everything goes over budget.
You might say - “Well, that’s life.”
Shit happens and all that crap.
Yup.
This applies to everyone—from housewives to Musk, Bezos, and even cats.
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So how do they progress?
Without planning?
There are three ways.
1. Plan everything down to the last detail.
Cover every little shit, including alien invasions. Result? A flawless, detailed plan and… no results.
Chances are, you won’t even finish the plan because new variables keep popping up.
So, not our style.
2. Don’t plan at all.
Just start, and figure it out as you go. Most people do it this way. Some big names started this way. Sounds nice, right? Maybe.
Problem is, survivor bias. We know everything about those who made it, down to their underwear color, but nothing about those who didn’t. And they’re the majority.
The irony?
Those who succeed with this approach usually end up moving on to the third.
3. Plan the direction.
Set your goal and visualize it clearly.
- Map out the key milestones along the way,
- essential steps and actions,
- necessary tools,
- and rough timeline, so you know where you’re creeping (and it aren’t accidentally backward).
This approach has control (missing in #2) and actual steps (missing in #1).
This kind of plan lets you assess surprises and even avoid some (like actually finishing the bathroom project).
Plus, you can refine and delegate tasks to specialists (keep them accountable if they fall behind. They will).
Bottom line, proper planning is all benefits.
Better than having no plan and just drifting along like a weed.
And there are less obvious perks to this skill.
- Logical thinking and planning skills
Like, don’t keep the only key to your bitcoin wallet on your phone.
No running around yelling, “I’ll kill you, MFK!” when your cat dunks it. Planning is the core of risk management.
- Like in movies—robots handling the busy work
Once you know what needs doing, in what order, and why, you’ll start automating the routine.
- Guess what—you’ll actually get things done
Not always, of course. Yes, stuff will still happen. But you’ll find it easier to regain focus and get back to meaningful action.
- Saves on stress relievers
Less stress—you’ll know that even if things get harder or take longer, you’re still moving in the right direction.
Some people try to plan every last detail and go berserk when things don’t work out.
Others, like monks, accept the inevitable and keep moving forward.
On the path they properly prepared.
So.
Don’t be a freaking nuts.
Plan well and reach your goals.
No matter what the prankster universe throws at you.
If you want to know more about other mess-ups and lessons on my entrepreneurial journey — subscribe to Eugene’s Stories.
See you soon!
- Eugene
And one more thing.
- Eugene
Join the “most offbeat” Businessletter on entrepreneurship.
Hi, I’m Eugene.
20 years later — 80 people, 3 continents, 7-figure revenue.
But for many years, I was the bottleneck in my own business.
Now I help founders escape the same trap. Through systems that actually work, not theory.
I write weekly: operational war stories, decision systems, and lessons learned the hard way.
For founders who want to build without burning out.
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