In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable. ~ Dwight D. Eisenhower
When you look at most disappointments, it comes down to missed expectations. You thought something was going to happen or was supposed to happen but it didn’t.
It’s impossible to take into account the behaviors, motives and actions of others. They are players also.
We can’t control the circumstances which surround our desire and goal. Yet they are vast and many may not be accounted for.
Certainty can make you feel confident, assured and bold. But we shouldn’t confuse how we feel about our plans and desires and the true nature of our aims. At best, our plans are speculative. We are guessing and it may be a good guess. But it’s still a guess.
How about approaching the future, your plans and reality with a bit less certainty and a bit more flexibility? Consider opening your grip more with the following:
- Know your best guess will likely change
- Think about contingencies in the likelihood things will not go your way
- Grow your opportunities far and wide so that there are plenty of alternatives
- Tell yourself that, “There is no such thing as certainty.” Make yourself act accordingly
If you simply have tunnel vision on what you want, sometimes you can forcefully get everything the way you want it from sheer determination.
However, the more variables that come into your plans, the more possible outcomes have to be accounted for. And if you can get your mind and ideas around the certainty that your plans will be different than you imagine, you may see opportunities you did not consider.
How do you plan?
