How to Create a Roadmap for Success in 5 Minutes with Brad Young’s CHANGE Program

Let’s be real for a second: most people treat "planning for success" like they’re preparing for a trip to Mars. They spend months over-analyzing, buying expensive planners they’ll never use, and drafting 50-page manifestos that end up buried in a desk drawer. By the time they’re done "planning," the opportunity has already passed them by.

At Brady Young Change, we don’t do "slow." We do effective.

Brad Young didn’t become a #1 bestselling author and a leader in personal development by waiting for the stars to align. He did it by mastering the art of the quick, decisive roadmap. If you have five minutes and a willingness to be honest with yourself, you can build a roadmap right now that will take you further than most people get in a year.

In this post, we’re diving deep into the G of Brad’s CHANGE program: Goals. Specifically, how to build a roadmap to success using the proven formula: Dream → Goal → Learn → Plan → Act.

The Myth of the "Perfect" Plan

The biggest barrier to success isn’t a lack of talent; it’s a surplus of hesitation. In his book Business Decision Making, Brad Young emphasizes that a good decision made today is worth ten "perfect" decisions made next month. The same applies to your roadmap.

A roadmap isn't a static document; it’s a living, breathing guide. It’s meant to get you moving. Once you’re in motion, you can adjust the steering. But if you’re parked in the garage trying to map out every single pothole between here and your destination, you’re never going to leave the driveway.

The 5-Minute Roadmap Formula

Ready to stop overthinking and start doing? Set a timer for five minutes. Here is the exact breakdown Brad Young uses to help high-performers find clarity and momentum.

Minute 1: The Dream (Vision)

Close your eyes, actually, keep them open so you can read this, and think about where you want to be in 3 to 5 years. This isn’t about being "realistic." This is about being bold. Brad teaches that your vision should create a sense of urgency. If your 5-year dream doesn't make you a little nervous, it's not big enough.

Action: Write down one sentence that describes your life 3 years from now. Be specific. Don't say "I want to be rich." Say "I am running a $10M consulting firm while spending three months a year traveling."

Minute 2: The Goal (The "What")

Now, let’s reverse-engineer that dream. What is the single most important milestone you need to hit in the next 12 months to make that 3-year vision possible? This is your primary goal.

In the CHANGE program, we focus on goals that are measurable and time-bound. If your goal is a "feeling," you can't track it. If it's a "number" or a "tangible result," you can.

Minute 3: The Learn (Identifying the Knowledge Gap)

This is where most people skip a step. You cannot achieve a level of success you haven’t reached before using the knowledge you already have. You need to identify what you don't know.

Action: Ask yourself: What is the one skill or piece of information I am missing that is holding me back? Is it lead generation? Public speaking? Financial literacy? Write it down. This is your education priority.

Minute 4: The Plan (The 90-Day Sprint)

We don't plan for the year; we plan for the next 90 days. Why? because 90 days is long enough to see real results, but short enough to maintain high-level intensity.

Brad Young advocates for the 90-Day Sprint. Break your 12-month goal into a 3-month objective. What three things must happen in the next 90 days to stay on track?

Minute 5: The Act (Immediate Action)

A roadmap without an initial step is just a wish. What is one thing, no matter how small, you can do in the next 60 seconds to signal to your brain that this plan is real?

Action: Send that email. Buy that domain. Book that consultation. Sign up for the course. Do it now.

Integrating the CHANGE Pillars

While Goals are the engine of your roadmap, the other pillars of the CHANGE program act as the fuel, the tires, and the GPS. You can’t have a successful roadmap without considering how your daily life supports it.

1. Communication: How are you communicating your goals to your team or your family? If they aren't on board, they will be anchors, not sails.

2. Habits: Your roadmap tells you where to go, but your habits determine if you actually get there. If your goal is to write a book but you don't have a daily habit of writing 500 words, the roadmap is useless.

3. Attitude: There will be roadblocks. Brad often says that your perspective during a pivot determines your speed of recovery.

4. Network: Who is in your inner circle? If your roadmap involves scaling a business, but you’re only hanging out with people who complain about their 9-to-5, you’re fighting an uphill battle.

5. Education: As identified in Minute 3, your roadmap must include a curriculum for self-growth.

Leading Indicators: Tracking What Matters

In his bestselling book Business Decision Making, Brad talks about the importance of Leading Indicators. Most people focus on "Lagging Indicators", things like total profit or the final number on the scale. By the time you see these numbers, the work is already done. You can't change them.

Instead, your roadmap should focus on the actions that lead to those results.

• Lagging Indicator: $100,000 in new sales.

• Leading Indicator: 50 cold calls made every week.

If you hit your leading indicators, the lagging indicators take care of themselves. When you’re building your 5-minute roadmap, ensure your "Plan" section (Minute 4) is built entirely around leading indicators.

The Power of the Pivot

What happens when your roadmap hits a dead end? This is where the Business Decision Making framework comes in handy. Success isn't about following a straight line; it's about making high-quality decisions when the road curves.

If your 90-day sprint isn't yielding results, don't throw away the 3-year vision. Change the plan, not the goal. Evaluate your habits, check your network, and see if there’s a gap in your communication. Usually, the roadmap is fine; it’s the execution that needs a tune-up.

Actionable Transformation Strategy: Your Weekly Review

Creating the roadmap is just the beginning. To ensure it actually leads to success, you need a mechanism for accountability. Brad Young recommends a Weekly 15-Minute Audit.

Every Sunday night or Monday morning, ask yourself these three questions:

1. Did I hit my Leading Indicators last week? (Be honest, yes or no.)

2. What is the #1 distraction that got in my way? (Identify it so you can kill it.)

3. What are the 3 non-negotiable tasks for the coming week that align with my 90-day sprint?

This audit keeps your roadmap front and center. It prevents the "drift" that happens when we get caught up in the "thick of thin things": the emails, the meetings, and the busywork that doesn't actually move the needle.

Ready to Level Up?

If you’re tired of feeling like you’re spinning your wheels, it’s time to lean into a proven system. Brad Young’s CHANGE program isn't just about theory; it’s about practical, aggressive transformation. Whether you’re a CEO looking to scale or an individual looking to take control of your future, the principles remain the same.

Start with the roadmap. Give yourself five minutes. Use the formula. And if you want to dive deeper into the mindset required to make these decisions stick, grab a copy of Business Decision Making or CHANGE. They are the blueprints for the life you’re trying to build.

Don't forget to tune into our latest podcast episodes where Brad breaks down these pillars even further with industry experts and high-performers who have used the CHANGE framework to redefine their success.

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