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Have a Plan
February 20th, 2023
Why do militaries spend hours planning operations with multiple backup plans?
Why do sports teams watch film of their opponents to plan how they will play against them?
Why do entrepreneurs come up with a business plan for their business ideas?
Why do parents have to plan their finances so they can save for their retirement?
A lot of life’s actions involve having a plan and then doing it. The examples listed above are all questions with similar answers. They plan because in planning, they are able to more effectively prepare for future events. They know potential outcomes and possibilities and what it takes to get there.
Last month I wrote about just starting and how many times, meticulous planning can prevent action because we can get stuck trying to perfect everything. Just starting can lead us to finally begin something. When we marry the concepts of just starting and having a plan, we now have tangible steps to proceed. What should I eat for dinner this week? Plan
How do we solve this problem for our client? Plan
Where do we go in Iceland when we are there? Plan
How do I run a marathon this year? Plan
Life has countless examples of where we take a plan to then act and experience. Planning is very important for our actions as long as we do not get stuck in the planning phase. Planning can also help take a simple idea and make it real. If you have been thinking of a business idea for weeks, spend some time on a business plan and you can feel it starting to happen. If you have been wanting to get in shape, spend some time on meal prepping and mapping out workouts, and then begin! Plan the steps, then begin.
Not everything needs to be spontaneous. In fact, I would argue a lot of life isn’t. Life is a constant cycle of action and reaction. In this cycle, if we can effectively plan our actions, we may find ourselves better prepared for any reaction that comes our way. At the same time, spending time to prepare our own reactions can help us avoid issues of acting rashly or without thinking. Planning is not boring or the uncool thing to do. Nor is planning a requirement for action. Planning is just a tool used to facilitate better-prepared responses to what life throws at us.
Have an idea? Plan. Then start.
Have a problem? Plan. Then solve it.
Have a project or task? Plan. Then finish it.
In reiterating my thoughts from “just start,” when we plan there is room for inaction. If you find yourself stuck in a planning phase, just start, and the rest of the plan will fall into place as you act. Planning should not mean you fail to act, planning should mean you are better prepared when you act.
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