Experts Know How to Plan
Photo by Dose Media on Unsplash
The other day my roommate and I were having a discussion about what sets us apart in classes in which we excel. He explained that in his computer science class when they receive a new project, he begins by mapping out an outline for the project in his notebook. A major part of this outline is breaking the work into manageable chunks.
He often observes other students looking up in the air and attempting to complete the project in their head. These are generally the students that struggle the most in his class.
I realized that I encounter a similar phenomenon in many of my classes. The people who do the best work make a plan and do not get overwhelmed by the work.
A key characteristic of an expert in any field is the ability to plan.
This leads to two related observations that should help us in our our pursuits toward greatness.
Learn to Plan to Become an Expert
We should focus on cultivating our ability to plan. Becoming an effective planner benefits every aspect of our lives. It helps us become better students, better grocery shoppers, better travelers, and better business people. Planning can save time, prevent us from becoming stressed, and allow us to easily communicate our progress to others.
One of the ways to become a better planner is to practice. It sounds simple, but many of us miss out on the frequent opportunities to hone the skill throughout our everyday life.
This week look for the opportunities in your day to plan out a course of action with clear objectives and milestones. It might be a paper or group project that is due next week. It might be the plans for the weekend with your friends. Take advantage of the chance to practice planning and dividing the work into actionable steps.
Gauge Your Progress by Observing Your Ability to Plan
The other observation is that we can measure our progress towards becoming an expert in our field by examining our ability to plan effectively. The better you become at planning, the closer to becoming an expert you are.
An effective way to measure your planning ability is to determine if you are asking the right questions and using the answers in a meaningful way. In my classes the best students ask pertinent questions and immediately incorporate the answers into their outline. These details added to their plan maximize the value of the time they spend on the project.
Listen to the questions the experts are asking and learn to ask similar questions. Watch how they request and quickly utilize information that adds valuable detail to their plan. Find ways to plan in your everyday life and actually start knocking things off of your to-do list (as I describe in my earlier post). Keep working towards becoming an expert!