Plan Or Act?

Should I plan first and act later, or should I act first and plan later? The answer to this question depends on the context.

For certain activities, it’s better to take some early action, while for others, it’s better to do some early planning before taking definitive action.

For example, when I started in a sales role a few years ago, there was an alluring pull of planning – three-year roadmaps, brainstorming sessions, and meeting industry leaders. It all felt essential and productive. I resisted that urge and started meeting clients and pitching existing solutions instead. Through these conversations, I discovered new problems to solve, products to develop, and even a path for building an international business. In this case, acting first fueled my learning, and the plan practically wrote itself based on real-world experience.

On the other hand, some activities benefit from upfront planning. Imagine building a new product. Instead of jumping straight into investing and building a product prototype, it’s better to understand the full scope of the opportunity, its design implications, and what technologies you would adopt. In this context, it is essential to organize your thinking first and then act.

The key is to be aware of your context and avoid getting stuck in a planning rut when action is needed.