“Ready, Fire, Aim” is more than just a catchy phrase—it’s a game-changing motto endorsed by many business experts. While we’re accustomed to “Ready, Aim, Fire,” research shows that diving in and adjusting as you go fosters action and growth. In contrast, the traditional approach often leads to getting stuck in the quest for perfection—a common barrier to progress.

The “Ready” phase is when you map out the steps to achieve your goals. Then comes the “Aiming” stage, where you get into the details of the plan and actually you might find yourself tangled with the details, waiting for everything to be just right—whether it’s your logo, marketing materials, or partnerships. Sound familiar? Did you also experience missed opportunities or delays because of wallowing there in the aiming? I did. 

This hesitation creeps into our personal lives as well. Whether it’s waiting for the perfect moment to start a family, relocate, or launch a business, we often find ourselves stuck in limbo. Here’s the truth: the “perfect” moment is a myth. Waiting for it can only lead to a stop, a standby. Decisiveness and action do not mean recklessness; it means being intentional and ready to adjust along the way. Don’t let the fear of imperfection hold you back from creating meaningful experiences and living your legacy. Get ready, map out your project, mobilize resources and resourcefulness. Then fire. Make it happen.

Next, after firing, you will adjust, improve, integrate the lessons learned; maybe even get ready to start over.

How could embracing this “Ready, Fire, Aim” approach look like? Let me share with you my five-step process; you can copy/paste as it is or customise it to your own style and habits.

1. Ditch Perfection: I let go of the quest for perfection—the enemy of action. Aim for excellence instead; it’s much more motivating. It’s not easy, but it’s definitely the way to go.
2. Define Your Intentions and Roadmap for the Year: Write down your goals. Putting pen to paper helps detach from mental wallowing and brings clarity and perspective. I clarify my goals using the S.M.A.R.T. approach: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-Bound. I then break them down into actionable steps.  Prioritising them is an ideal thing to do : I must admit, this is still a challenge for me, but isn’t there something exciting about holding a little challenge for improvement?
3. Schedule Everything: Former NASA rocket designer and time-management expert Peter Turla likes to say, “A plan is what; a schedule is when. It takes both a plan and a schedule to get things done.”
   Personally, when I don’t schedule tasks, delays, frustration, forgetfulness, and loss of focus get in the way. 
4. Trust Your Inner Compass: If you haven’t yet identified your objectives and don’t want to drift through 2025, like a lost boat in the sea, take a moment to breathe and think. Nothing is going to come along and say, “Hello, I am your set of goals for 2025.” Instead, ask yourself: What issues resonate with me? What opportunities do I see? What unique ideas have I parked somewhere in my heart or mind?
   Focus on your vibrant wishes and release the “cannot”; you’ll figure out later how to make it happen. 
5. Visualise. To give more strength to your firing, visualise the results, the goals materialised again and again. Use the vision board technique, the repetition, the rituals. Visualise at present tense, as if it is happening right now.