It's long been said, "Fail to plan and you plan to fail".
With all the buzzwords around success, the planning of actions remains consistent. We can repackage, rename, and re-examine all the steps to success. We can talk about anything from paradigms to post-modernism. We can look to all the exceptions to all the current rules. Through every "new" way of thinking this truth will always remain. Success is the result of planning. Whether it was smart planning or a plan that ushered in a smart product, with no plan you cannot succeed.
Feel free to chime in now. Tell us about how you didn't plan and everything worked out great for you. The successful people who make it look easy are brilliant. The thing is, they don't know how they know what they know, they just know. Yes, that was a mouthful.
To some the next step is so obvious that anything else would be absurd. These folks are rare, and should be listened to. Like a natural athlete, or a child prodigy, they are born with this ability. They don't realize that they are able to plan with out much time spent thinking. It would be easy if all of us were like this, unfortunately, very few are gifted in this way.
The rest of us must learn to plan or we will always fall short.
Here is my definition of planning.
Predetermined Livelihood Applied Neatly.
Predetermined: This is a plan right? Take the time to figure out your actions before the moment of response is upon you. You don't want to lose an opportunity because you were unprepared do you? Take the time to predetermine you plan of action. Seek guidance when necessary(as much as possible if you are wondering when is it necessary).
Livelihood: You must be able to actually do what you have set out to do. Secondly since you planned ahead, make it something you enjoy doing. Planning allows you to take a break from stress, and just live. A prepared person can relax in moments of action and just perform. It's good to think on your feet. It's better to plan ahead and not have to do anything by the seat of your pants.
Applied: What you have set out to do, that you know you can and will enjoy, do. Simple, Do it.
Neatly: Keep it organized, keep is simple. You should be able to explain it to a 4th grader if you have planned it out clear enough(not the particulars, but the basics).
We can continue in the dark, or we can walk with confidence knowing we are prepared.
Start immediately, Take the time and work on whatever keeps worrying you.
A proposal? A bill? A project? Plan out your actions and take the first step, you will work smarter, play harder and rest easier when you have a plan in place.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Life Lessons from Meatballs
Hey guys,
I was thinking about the movie Meatballs. You know the old movie with Bill Murray. It happens to be one of my favorites. I am probably over analyzing this situation, but I think there are some key components in the camp situation that if applied to our lives will bring great success.
1. There is a set work schedule. The structure of camp really leaves little "free" time. There camp had much more, but in general you are on the job morning til night. The schedule is set up, so figuring what to do is not necessary, only that you show up and do what is asked of you. From sleeping to eating, all is planned out.
2. The Tasks are clearly defined. What is required is made clear through training and repetition. The workers aren't required to constantly figure out how and when to do their jobs. With the set schedule and the clear requirements the workers are left with just doing what is asked. This may not seem like a fun position, but in the case of most busy work and schedule and clearly defined goal keeps us on track and productive.
3. The reward is in the doing. The work asked of the workers is fun when the brainwork is taken out of it. Because a. they are working with people they know and have fun with in an enviroment designed to build teamwork and relationships, and b. the tasks emphasize the sense of play involved.
4. Free time is limited. Since there is so little alone time what is there is valued. Through the day you are working with those you care about so at night, you are excited to be around them in a still state. And if we were to take it further the limits on the free time give structure to it as well. We have an hour to clean up from the day. This includes showering, writing letters, taking care of small business. The community is apart of the free time. Nightly campfire is structured and given a clear amount of time, and often a clear agenda. Whether it is a debriefing of the day or preparation for coming events, this down time is still productive and meaningful.(Am I telling you to give your life to you Job? No! Use your time, don't waste it.)
5. It's all about relationships. Community! What is missing in much of our country is almost dead in the workplace; Community. I have seen it come out of desperation, but rarely out of fun and promise. Individual competitiveness should not erode team unity. When workers begin to know eachother and help eachother in a healthy enviroment production will increase. Workers should regularly hear from their owners and bosses, this simple courtesy will tell them they are valuable enough to have the visions shared with. A chain of communication should be established. Newbie Joe in receiving is twice as likely to have a creative answer to problems and situations in his department than veteran Mike who is a in an office three states away.
There is so much more, and this might lead to a book, I can see it already. But these key components take so much stress out of life. Really, when we are freed up from the thinking and left to the doing, how much more productive are we?Now, there is room for creativity and change inside of the doing of the tasks, but the tasks and requirements are set.
So if I can spot anything huge that carries over, is that we need structure to succeed.I think an examination of successful people will always point out they lived on structured schedules and had clear plans for their work time and down time. Tell me what you think, am I hitting on something or is this just a bunch of hot air.
I was thinking about the movie Meatballs. You know the old movie with Bill Murray. It happens to be one of my favorites. I am probably over analyzing this situation, but I think there are some key components in the camp situation that if applied to our lives will bring great success.
1. There is a set work schedule. The structure of camp really leaves little "free" time. There camp had much more, but in general you are on the job morning til night. The schedule is set up, so figuring what to do is not necessary, only that you show up and do what is asked of you. From sleeping to eating, all is planned out.
2. The Tasks are clearly defined. What is required is made clear through training and repetition. The workers aren't required to constantly figure out how and when to do their jobs. With the set schedule and the clear requirements the workers are left with just doing what is asked. This may not seem like a fun position, but in the case of most busy work and schedule and clearly defined goal keeps us on track and productive.
3. The reward is in the doing. The work asked of the workers is fun when the brainwork is taken out of it. Because a. they are working with people they know and have fun with in an enviroment designed to build teamwork and relationships, and b. the tasks emphasize the sense of play involved.
4. Free time is limited. Since there is so little alone time what is there is valued. Through the day you are working with those you care about so at night, you are excited to be around them in a still state. And if we were to take it further the limits on the free time give structure to it as well. We have an hour to clean up from the day. This includes showering, writing letters, taking care of small business. The community is apart of the free time. Nightly campfire is structured and given a clear amount of time, and often a clear agenda. Whether it is a debriefing of the day or preparation for coming events, this down time is still productive and meaningful.(Am I telling you to give your life to you Job? No! Use your time, don't waste it.)
5. It's all about relationships. Community! What is missing in much of our country is almost dead in the workplace; Community. I have seen it come out of desperation, but rarely out of fun and promise. Individual competitiveness should not erode team unity. When workers begin to know eachother and help eachother in a healthy enviroment production will increase. Workers should regularly hear from their owners and bosses, this simple courtesy will tell them they are valuable enough to have the visions shared with. A chain of communication should be established. Newbie Joe in receiving is twice as likely to have a creative answer to problems and situations in his department than veteran Mike who is a in an office three states away.
There is so much more, and this might lead to a book, I can see it already. But these key components take so much stress out of life. Really, when we are freed up from the thinking and left to the doing, how much more productive are we?Now, there is room for creativity and change inside of the doing of the tasks, but the tasks and requirements are set.
So if I can spot anything huge that carries over, is that we need structure to succeed.I think an examination of successful people will always point out they lived on structured schedules and had clear plans for their work time and down time. Tell me what you think, am I hitting on something or is this just a bunch of hot air.
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