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How a 4-Step Action Memo Can Help You Smash Your Goals in 24 Hours

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What is it that keeps you from achieving your goals? Is it a lack of focus? A lack of motivation? A lack of specific strategies to accomplish those goals? Or is a combination of many things? What separates armchair entrepreneurs from true entrepreneurs and business people is the ability to take regular action on top priority goals.

True entrepreneurs have clearly outlined goals which are backed up by principles refined over time. These principles provide them with guidance on what is important. Defining these principles and outlining these long-term goals come easily to some, but for others it can be a huge challenge. Once these long-term goals have been identified, the challenge becomes how best to tackle the day-to-day tasks and actions that are required to turn dreams into reality.

Sometimes, the hardest part of taking action is the planning that goes into it. Big ideas are sexy and exciting, but day-to-day monotonous tasks are rarely as exciting. Armchair entrepreneurs would rather dream big and assume the hard work that goes into day-to-day activities will just take care of itself. While some people choose to dive into the action without thinking, those who want to really make lasting change and reach their goals must plan ahead.

When people think about something they’d like to accomplish, they tend to focus on the first step. Whether it’s a trip they’d like to go on or a skill they’d like to learn, they usually look at the very first thing that needs to happen without considering the longer term implications.

Try creating an Action Memo to help you connect your long term goals with concrete actions and stay motivated even when you struggle to keep moving forward.

Below is a 4-step action memo which can help you smash your goals instantaneously:

1. Purpose

What do you want to accomplish? Provide background on your current plan and why exactly you want to accomplish a certain goal or take a certain action.

As the author and leadership coach Simon Sinek often reminds us, organisations and individuals need to “start with why” to get to the core of why they really want to be in business or why they want to accomplish a certain task. If you think of this as a miniature business plan, the background should be your executive summary. Ask yourself, why do you want to take action NOW?

“It’s not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something.” – Winston S. Churchill

2. Actions

Outline specific actions and tasks. Once you’ve described the background, list out the top 3 to 5 actions that each take under 24 hours to accomplish and which will get you closer to achieving your long-term goal.

This is a core part of the Action Memo, because it provides you with a list of actions which will need to be accomplished in the next several days. Make sure you keep these actions small enough that they can be accomplished in a day. For example, rather than say “write an eBook”, break up the larger task into several small sections. In 24 hours you might be able to create a chapter outline for your book, or contract a designer to help you create a cover.

3. Deadlines

Review your timeline. Ask yourself – when will these actions be done? The second most important part of this Action Memo is the timeline, because it helps keep you on task and forces you to think about which tasks need to be accomplished in which order. Without a timeline and specific deadlines, you will lose motivation and will lack the drive to take urgent action.

Urgent action is the name of the game when it comes to creating a habit for taking action. Write down when each action from stage two will be completed, and then try your best to stick to those deadlines.

“We have to live life with a sense of urgency so not a minute is wasted.” – Les Brown

4. Performance & Accountability

How will you measure performance? How will you define success? What does success look like to you in relation to completing these tasks? If you want to write a new business plan, perhaps finishing a 5-page outline is a sufficient indicator of success. If you want to increase sales in a new product, perhaps emailing 10 new clients and asking them to buy your solution is a good success indicator.

Just as you track performance, be sure to keep yourself accountable. One of the best ways to ensure your continued success over time is to keep yourself accountable by working with others who will check in with you and make sure you’re completing your tasks.

I urge you to reach out to someone via email, text or phone and send them your Action Memo with the dates and deadlines in place. Ask them for their support and wait to hear their response. Write a few sentences here about how you will keep yourself accountable and who you will reach out to.

Whether you’re looking to get more done on a current project, or you’re trying to finally get off your butt and start working on your next side project, I would highly recommend writing out an Action Memo as outlined in the stages above. It’s a great way to provide yourself with a concrete action plan which you can keep going back to for motivation and inspiration as you take steps towards your overarching long-term goals.

Which one of these 4 steps do you need to work on the most? Let us know below so we can help you out!

Image courtesy of Twenty20.com

McVal is the founder of We Write For Growth, a platform for businesses to connect with talented writers and researchers and growth hackers. He is also the author of How to Make $2,000 a Month Online and Start Up your Life: Why we don’t know what we want, and how to set goals that really matter. McVal writes about motivation, decision making, and strategic thinking. He graduated from UC Santa Barbara in 2011 with a degree in Spanish, and has since worked as a market researcher and business consultant in Washington D.C., New York City and London. You can reach him on Twitter @mcval or on IG @mcvaliant. 

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Entrepreneurs

The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025

Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

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Bridging the gap between employees and employers
Image Credit: Midjourney

In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”

While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.

Why This Gap Exists

Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.

What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.

Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap

Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.

1. Practice Mutual Empathy

Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.

2. Maintain Professional Boundaries

Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.

3. Follow the Golden Rule

Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.

4. Avoid Micromanagement

Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.

5. Empower Employees to Grow

Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.

6. Communicate in All Directions

Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.

7. Overcome Insecurities

Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.

8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship

True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.

9. Eliminate Favoritism

Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.

10. Recognize Efforts Promptly

Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.

11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews

When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.

12. Provide Leadership Development

Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.

13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles

Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.

The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role

Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:

  • Build diverse talent pipelines

  • Embrace flexible work models

  • Design compelling career paths

  • Simplify HR processes

  • Redefine the value HR brings

The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.

Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff

When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.

Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.

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Entrepreneurs

What Makes an Entrepreneurial Leader? Traits of the World’s Best Innovators

Inside the mindset of entrepreneurial leaders who transform risk, passion, and vision into world-changing results.

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entrepreneurial leadership skills and traits
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When you think of Richard Branson (Virgin Group), Bill Gates (Microsoft), Steve Jobs (Apple), Rupert Murdoch (News Corporation), and Ted Turner (CNN), one thing becomes clear: they are not just entrepreneurs, they are entrepreneurial leaders. (more…)

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Entrepreneurs

Building a Business Empire: Lessons from the World’s Boldest Entrepreneurs

Learn essential lessons, success strategies, and mindset shifts every aspiring entrepreneur needs to overcome challenges and build a thriving business.

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how to build a business empire
Image Credit: Midjourney

Back in July 2017, I attended a business seminar on entrepreneurship in India. With my appetite for learning and meeting new people, I wanted to explore the latest developments in the entrepreneurial world. (more…)

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Change Your Mindset

Why Ideas Are More Valuable Than Resources for Entrepreneurial Success

Discover why ideas, not resources, are the true driving force behind entrepreneurial success, innovation, and lasting growth.

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Power of ideas in entrepreneurship
Image Credit: Midjourney

History shows us that the greatest minds, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan, Walt Disney, Stephen King, and countless others, faced failure early on. Yet, instead of seeing failure as the end, they treated it as a comma in their story, not a full stop. (more…)

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