On my own

If I were to choose between adaptive and predictive approach in achieving my objectives in life, I would use the latter one which is the predictive approach. Before, we were asked about how we see ourselves ten years from now and the strategies to get there. Well, in a way, that is planning I could say. Planning, for me, is very essential when we are undertaking a project or if we are aiming to achieve something. If we plan in advance, risk can be minimized, we would know where we are going and we can be sure of our actions. Of course, if possible, we don’t want to take risk and we don’t want our dreams to be just our reality. And if we plan in advance, there is a great chance for us to achieve that something. Yes, adaptive approach can be more flexible to change compared to predictive approach, but there is a high tendency of taking risk in using that approach.

In developing a system, adaptive and predictive approach both use SDLC, and activities of each phase are similar. If I were to create my own version of SDLC for me to achieve my objectives in life, this would be the activities/steps that I would undertake:

Prepare a plan.
For some actions that I take, I think first and make a plan. But sometimes, my plan doesn’t work for several reasons – plan is not good enough, there is missing in the plan, and plan is not implemented. Those are the valuable lessons for me to be learned. This time, I will make sure that my plan is in accordance with what I want and with what I need. I will make sure that it will work for the achievement of my objectives.

In preparing my plan, I will decide carefully and make my objectives specific, step-by-step, list the actions and the means in taking the action, the information, knowledge, skills, techniques that I need to master to achieve those objectives and make my own schedule on when to do those actions. In such a way, I can be sure of my actions and directions of where to go and why.

Put the plan into action.
Long before, I made a plan, but the plan was not implemented. That mistake made me regret myself and gave me the feeling of disappointment. Why is it that the plan was not implemented? Looking back from that very moment, the plan was failed to implement because of fear and hesitation that I felt. Fear for the plan to fail and I was uncertain if the plan would work. Instead of learning from that mistake, I made the same mistake again and again. But that was before. I hope and I pray that this time that dilemma would not happen again.

So, after preparing a plan, of course, the next step is to put the plan into action. In taking the action, there are factors that are needed such as information, knowledge, skills and techniques. This is now one of the reasons why planning is important. If we plan, those factors can be identified earlier and it would be easier for us to do the action. As what I have mentioned above in preparing my plan, those factors are considered and listed.

Measure performance.
After preparing my plan and putting it into action, I will also measure my performance. Why need to measure? Of course, not only me but you as well need to measure performance that we exert in our plan. By doing this, we would know how far we are going and how good we are in doing the action. We would also know if we are achieving our objectives. Errors could also be detected. And since errors are detected, we can plan for another action and fix those errors.

Based on my experience, sometimes, when evaluating performance and finding out that we are not doing well in our action, we tend to feel frustrated, sometimes we feel like giving up, depressed and then we stop. But, as it has been said, “Never give up.”

Analyze and interpret the results.
After performing the plan and measuring it, comes the results. I should ask myself, “How’s the result? Is it good or bad?” If it is good, then I should keep on doing the same good thing and keep on improving as well. If the result is bad, then I should still keep on moving but using different strategies and techniques.

Preparing a plan and then analyzing the results is not new to me since I have been doing this long before. I plan not only for the future but also for everyday. Since I am not a good decision maker and not a good planner, it takes time for me to think and then decide what is good. But I am also working on it.

Try again and maintain.
If ever I fail, I will never stop trying until I have achieved my objectives. As what I have read from a book that says, “The learning process is filled with trial and error and accompanied by some frustrations; but we learn from our mistakes.” Therefore, try and try. Even when I keep on trying but there is still no change and I keep on failing, there must be something wrong with my strategies or with my techniques. That is why we have to measure our performance and then analyze the results because as what I have said errors can be detected and the earlier the better. It is really disheartening when we keep on working, so much effort were exerted only to find out that in that long run we are not improving and we are out of track and no good results after all. But, as it has been said, “Be positive.”

Maintain. When the time comes that I’m on my success beam, I would have to maintain that success. Well, although problems and change may occur, as I am sure to have, I would have to face those problems, solve it all, and make some enhancements to expand my capabilities.

Happy New Year to all!