Start with the big picture. Take some time to figure out exactly what sort of action you want to initiate. No matter if the action is work-related or a personal project, spending some time thinking about it will help you from "jumping the gun."
Identity your action goals and determine what the final product will look like. If, for instance, your blueprint for action is to motivate the sales staff, identify what the profit margin will be as a result. A personal call to action might be to lose ten pounds.
Write a list of measurable actions that are required to fit into the blueprint. To lose ten pounds, for example, actions could include cutting back on portion size, not eating fried foods and exercising so that you can get into your "blueprint" dress before the staff party.
Review the list. Once you have identified the actions required, prioritize and prune. Number the actions from the most to the least important. Like the blueprint for a house, you need to get the walls up before you install the electrical outlets.
Work from the list and write a blueprint of measurable actions. Write in bullet points, as they are expedient.
Construct a mind map. Think of a mind map as a frame for your blueprint. A mind map can be any shape -- a circle with spikes, a hexagon or a tree -- so pick one that suits your actions and draw it on a piece of paper.
Use bullet points for the actions you wrote earlier and write them onto the mind map you designed. Use a pencil so they can be shifted until you get them organized where you want them.
Stick to the blueprint and monitor your actions as you go along. Suppose for instance, your blueprint looks like a tree. Identify when you get the trunk in place and then set target dates for the actions required to add the branches.