Success is a Plan

Planning our future is hard and something that most people don’t do; if it is worth doing it is worth planning.
Let’s take a look at this phenomenon that successful people undertake. These successful people also had been heard saying very pertinent quotes that we can use today to move ourselves to greatness.

"Men never plan to be failures; they simply fail to plan to be successful." William A Ward, British diplomat (b.1928)
Have you ever said to yourself, “Man, I wish I had that house or car or job or husband!” Did that statement then drive you to do something different in your life so that you could have whatever it is you want – if not this statement applies to you. We don’t plan to be failures it just happens because we fail to plan for success. I will be the last one to say if at all, “Poor you, you don’t have what you want.” I would be more tempted to ask, “Why do you want that and what are you willing to do to get it?”

It is a bad plan that admits of no modification. Pubilius Syrus (100 BC)
We also need to understand that our most thought out plan will need to be adjusted and tweaked, massaged and molded into what we require of it to get us to where we intend to go. It is the going that is important not how we get there. We must not let our ever-changing plan dissuade us from accomplishing our life’s goals.

Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire and begin at once, whether you are ready or not, to put this plan into action. Napoleon Hill
So we have discussed planning for success and understanding that plans will change now we must begin planning. As Napoleon says, ready or not put this plan into action. Begin planning what you desire to have whether it is a better career, a bigger house, a better marriage, less hurry, etc. No matter what it is that you want you will never have it without a plan. Think of all you do every day. You stop at Tim’s for a coffee – that was some bodies plan to sell you drive thru coffee and you are helping him realize his plan by buying it. Each thing you do took a plan by someone else to accomplish – why are you leaving your plans out of the mix every day.

He who every morning plans the transaction of the day and follows out that plan, carries a thread that will guide him through the maze of the most busy life. But where no plan is laid, where the disposal of time is surrendered merely to the chance of incidence, chaos will soon reign. Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885)
Time is our greatest ally and we can use it to our advantage. We can set up boundaries in which to live by sparing us time or we can just give in to chaos in our lives. When someone is using up our time ineffectively we are continuously going to live in chaos. Once we establish what it is we really want we will become a pro at making wise decisions based on our plan to achieve our goals. We will surround ourselves with people who will encourage us to achieve our goals but most of all we will accomplish our goals because we will have not wasted one iota of time with unplanned events not directed toward our goals.

We must establish our goals and plan for success. We must also remember that no on is responsible to achieve our goals besides us. This is one thing that we will soon forget when we ask someone to help us and they don’t. We will feel alone and lonely when people don’t do what they say they will do. Keep pumping along because one day someone is going to surprise you and help you – make sure you let him or her know that you are very grateful for the help. No one owes you his or her time so always show gratitude for even the slightest bit even if it is just one word of encouragement in just the right moment.

So therefore July’s challenge is to prepare your life for success. Plan one day at a time but intend to plan the rest of your life. We need to become long-term planners who see success after success due to our superior planning capabilities. Buy a day timer – paper or electronic and use it daily even if nothing is written in it continue to use it daily. If you are trying to get healthy plan your meals in it, if you are trying to learn something plan your learning time in it, if you are in need of alone time schedule it each day. Write until your heart is content and then write some more. Have fun with it – embrace it – depend on it but also know what is in it so that you are not making plans that you are unaware of. We all know what that is – people pleasing plans that don’t get us anywhere close to our ideal life but certainly will get our people close to their ideal life – maybe!

Bite off more than you can chew, then chew it. Plan more than you can do, then do it. Anonymous

Choosing joy right along with you,
Kathleen