THE POWER OF PLANNING, 4.

"A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow." - George S. Patton

 

 

The way we spend our time is because we choose to spend it that way; there is nothing we do without choice. Although our choices might not always be deliberate or penned down. We have the choice to work or not. To write the report or not. We have the choice, to take the phone call or ignore it. However, each choice is based upon a reward; to be received or anticipated.

Rewards are what we expect to gain from undertaking, or postponing a certain task. If you didn’t receive rewards, you would not continue that behaviour.

One night four college students played till late night, hence did not study for their test scheduled for the following morning. In the morning they thought up a plan. They'd make themselves look dirty with grease and dirt. So, in the morning, they went up to the Dean, and told him how they'd gone for a wedding the night before, and on their way back the tire of their car burst and they had to hurl by themselves, all the way back and that they were in no condition to appear for the test.Without a fuss, the Dean agreed that they could re-take the test in three days. They thanked profusely, believing they'd be ready by that time. However, on the third day they appeared before the Dean, the condition was that all four of them were to sit in separate classrooms for the test. They all agreed, after all three days were a long enough time to prepare. So, there was no problem with the condition.

The test had two questions in all, with a total of 100 Marks. Below is a sample of the exam questions.

Q.1. What car was involved in the accident? (2Marks)
Q.2. Which tire burst, and what is the name of the couple that wedded?
? (98 MARKS)
a) Front Left
b) Front Right
c) Back Left
d) Back Right

 

Life abhors vacuum. If we fail to draw a plan for ourselves, life will do so for us. Gloria Steinam said once, "Planning ahead is a measure of class. The rich and even the middle class plan for generations, but the poor can plan ahead only a few weeks or days." And Napoleon Hill added, "Reduce your plan to writing. The moment you complete this, you will have definitely given concrete form to the intangible desire." Unless we learn to plan, we will never be in control of our lives.