Always Have A Plan

Every blessed day each of us is given 24 hours. Some use it very well, while some others waste it. But we are all given that exact 24 each day. Those who are running the world today, winning and taking territories as they want are masters in the game of utilising time.

There is one way you can train yourself to utilise your  time very well and that is by always having a plan. A plan is what guides and motivates you towards whatever you wish to achieve in this world. With a plan, it's difficult to waste your time, trust me.

In 24 hours people travel to different countries, attend many meetings, give speeches, run businesses etc. In that same 24 hours, some people achieve nothing. The difference is in having a plan.

Without a plan, we'd be merely floating and our time will be poorly utilized. It's true that things may not always work according to how we plan it, but that shouldn't stop us from having one because a plan is what keeps us going.

Many people live average or below average lives today because they do not plan adequately well. They just wake up, eat, do what they can do to survive for that day, then go to sleep and repeat the cycle the next day.

If you're in doubt, ask people around you where they see themselves in the next five years or ask them about their plans. You'd notice that most people don't have a direct answer to these questions. You'll often hear stuff like "MAYBE I'll do this or that.." "I MAY.... " or non specific answers like "I'll get a job" "I'd be working" etc.

If you're really planning your life well, your answers should be direct. There should be no in betweens. Something like, "I'll have my own restaurant specialising in cakes and chips,"  sounds more like someone who knows where he/she is going. And that person more likely to achieve it because he's not afraid of being specific.

Indeed, plans may not go exactly as we planned, but the good thing is that it keeps us going and it enables us recognize opportunities that are in line with our plan. As long as you're working with a plan, you must be open minded to see where you need to adjust it as things go on.

For example if you want to be in a particular school in two years time and you have been saving for it with your current plan, you should be quick to notice when a scholarship opportunity for that same school suddenly shows up. It could suddenly come up in a few months or even weeks. At that point, it will be stupid to ignore it and just 'stick to plan.'  You simply apply for the scholarship and continue saving just in case.

The point is: Having a plan shouldn't make you rigid. You must be flexible within your plan because things change, but even in your flexibility, you still have your goal in mind.

From experience, It's difficult to find what you're not looking for. It is only when you seek that you'll find. Plans motivate us to keep seeking. We should have a plan to find whatever we want, but if better options to finding it show up, we must be ever willing to embrace it.

Don't quit on planning because things are not working out the way you planned it. It will make you lazy and you'd miss opportunities and waste your time. Sometimes, things don't work out according to plan for your own good. The question is: Is your mind Open to see the opportunities that are available to still achieve your goal even though your plan seems not to work?

Life has a way of surprising us. We must keep planning, no matter the challenges faced, but let us not plan with the mindset that things will work out exactly the way we planned. Things could work out faster, more easily or through other unthinkable ways that you never thought possible, so plan, but be open minded to see answers coming from an entirely different direction.

Just keep winning!

Nigel.