A good friend of mine, Dan Wilson, made an interesting distinction between planning and preparing that I would like to share with you in this newsletter. It is very appropriate as we move into a new year.

Dan observed that not one person on earth had planned for the devastating earthquake that occurred this past week in Haiti, and most of the people there were not prepared for it either. They are now without food, water and other basic necessities, and many are suffering because the Haitians were not at all prepared to deal with a disaster of this magnitude.

We can never plan for the unexpected, but we can be prepared. That holds true for positive events in our lives - the opportunities that come our way - as well as for the negative.

Seldom do opportunities show up according to a plan and, if we have not prepared for them they are often lost. We cannot plan our life to the letter and expect it to unfold that way, but we can lay out plans that serve as a map for where we want to go, and then prepare to follow the map as effectively as possible. A life map is a powerful tool for creating the life you want and can add to your awareness of what you need to be prepared for. Planning equips us for the expected and helps us prepare for the unexpected. Preparation equips us to handle the unexpected better.

Let's go back to the Haiti tragedy for a moment. Although that event was not planned, there were people in other parts of the world that had planned for how they would respond to any catastrophic event so they were prepared. Having made preparations according to their plan, they were able to respond to the Haiti disaster almost immediately. Among the quick responders were the U. S. government and the American Red Cross.

The benefit of planning is to help us be prepared holds true in every area of life. We can do that best when we know the difference between the things for which we can plan and those for which we can only prepare. An architect, for example creates a blueprint - a plan for building a house or a building. A seasoned traveler plans the route he will take. Parents on the other hand cannot plan their child's life. They can only prepare the child for it. When parents try to plan a child's life, all they do is alienate the child and create conditions that prevent the child from being prepared. Armies plan maneuvers and practice skills, but these are all done in preparation for defending us from enemy attacks. They don't confuse the plan or the practice with the purpose of their actions - preparation.

Plans don't always turn out the way we intend, but that should never discourage you from planning. Planning is critical to your success. Only through good planning can we be prepared for whatever shows up, be it a disaster or a fabulous opportunity. All wise, successful people are planners. They understand that plans provide direction. Direction leads to greater predictability and greater predictability leads to confidence. Even in an uncertain world, we can be confident when we have a plan and are prepared to follow it so we are best able to respond when, inevitably, the unexpected occurs.

Move into 2010 with a plan and prepare for a year of opportunities and abundance.

Live Abundantly!
Sherry