We’ve all had good starts on some journey of life that was important enough to plan. We’ve also experienced accidental good starts where everything came together through good fortune. But we have all experienced bad starts to every kind of project you could imagine! From missing an important step in putting together a child’s Christmas gift, or forgetting an ingredient while attempting to cook the best meal ever, or even failing to check the gas gauge before setting off on an important trip.
Because this has happened to me a number of times, and will probably do so again (even today), I strive to make sure that I plan for “a good beginning” so I can be successful in the future, and from then I can look over my shoulder at what success looks like and know how to replicate the action!
Action lists, Pro’s and Con’s, Plans, Steps, Gotcha’s are all items I use to begin a project so when the project is over and I do a personal after action review it helps to know where I messed up so the next time will be better addressed.
It was Solomon who said “time and chance happen to all” and maybe it was simply a tongue in cheek attempt to explain that sometimes anything we fail at is simply bad luck. But it was also Jesus who teaches that good planning lets us know what we need to do to be successful. Of course, he is telling us to count the cost of becoming a follower, but the planning concept applies to all areas of life and living.
For which of you, intending to build a tower,
does not sit down first and count the cost,
whether he has enough to finish it—
lest, after he has laid the foundation,
and is not able to finish,
all who see it begin to mock him, saying,
‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’
Or what king, going to make war against another king,
does not sit down first and consider whether
he is able with ten thousand to meet him who
comes against him with twenty thousand?
Or else, while the other is still a great way off,
he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.
(Luke 14:28-32 NKJV)
Planning in advance for success! That’s what I’m talking about!
A few years ago while heading to Idaho for a vacation in the mountains, my bride started out driving the trip. “Ok. Which way?” That way and I pointed in a general direction eastward. “Which road?” Doesn’t matter. Just take one and head east! She was astonished! Normally I have everything mapped out and I understand where we will be by nightfall and plans for food, fuel, and hotel… But not this time!
I was ready to simply enjoy going with the flow! Unplanned!
“Why didn’t you plan?” We’ve done so many of these well-planned trips (multiple trips across the country, through Canada to Alaska, and even getting to drive from the wrong side of the road and the wrong side of a standard shift car in Scotland!), and I was simply ready for an “off the cuff” trip! Of course, mapping on our mobile phones helped navigate the major roads but was not that great when we were out of cell service. Still. It was a very unplanned trip that was greatly rewarded with some terrific downtime!
Here’s my thought. Sometimes you’ve planned so much that it’s easy to let loose and simply go with the flow. You can enjoy success this way, but if this is an important trip, with lives dangling in the balance, and perhaps a shoestring budget, well, you better plan. It only makes sense to achieve success with all your ducks in a row, and every step understood and that satisfied feeling of accomplishing what you set off to achieve!
Ready??? Let’s start planning!