What is the recommended approach to the seven-step goals formula regarding the design of the plan of action?

• A. Start from step one.
• B. Design from steps three, four, and five.
• C. Design from steps six and seven
• D. Do not use any steps

Answer: (B)

The main idea is to build the plan of action by translating goals into concrete, workable steps. In a seven-step goals formula, the middle steps are where you turn aims into specifics: you set clear objectives, decide on strategies, and outline the actual actions, responsibilities, and timelines. Designing from this part ensures the plan is feasible and actionable, because you’re anchoring what must be done to achieve the goals directly in the plan, rather than just talking about them or waiting to judge them later.

Starting with the initial steps tends to focus on framing or defining the aims, which is valuable but doesn’t by itself guarantee practical implementation. Focusing on the final steps emphasizes evaluation and adjustment after actions are taken, which is important but not enough to guide what to do first. Skipping steps altogether removes the structured progression that links goals to execution. So, the recommended approach is to design from the middle steps because that’s where the plan becomes concrete and actionable.