NLP Planning | Plans A, B and Z

Plans A, Plan B, and . . .  Plan Z

Video of Michael explaining the surprising power of having a Plan Z.

Especially with my entrepreneurial clients, I recommend having 3 plans.

• Plan A is what they want and what they are focused on.
• Plan B is an amendment to Plan A, taking account of the environment or market you find yourself in.

But here’s the one people often neglect.

• Plan Z means having a contingency for if everything goes wrong. It may include going back to live with mum or dad for a while, or getting a part time job to keep the proverbial wolf from the door. The idea is that with a safety net beneath us we are braver, less strained and have the freedom to walk away from less-than-perfect scenarios.

Why would anyone want a Plan Z?

At first I thought it was a negative way of thinking. However, in practice it’s turned out to be genuinely empowering. It removes a lot of imaginary pressure, so we can put all our focus on our own goals.

I don’t know of anyone who has yet to resort to plan Z.

That doesn’t mean they wouldn’t swear by it as a confidence-building tool.

(note: The original idea for Plans A, B & Z came from Reid Hoffman’s 2012 book The Start Up of You.)

The next section is a Success Quiz. It’s a quiz that indicates how to close we are to some of the characteristics that lead to success and fulfilment.

Full NLP Techniques List

NLP Plan Section Index

1: Why plan?
2: Self sabotage
3: Plans A, B & Z
4: Success Quiz
5: Time, energy and focus
6: End goals, milestones and focus
7: Feedforward
8: Planning and review questions
9: Daily questions
10: Summary