This quote has existed in various forms in most cultures throughout time. It is an eternal bit of wisdom, recognized by some of the greatest minds, and recorded in many books. Life comes fast. Things happen, sometimes we expect it, and sometimes we don’t.
The difference between the two is our level of preparedness. If we are ready (prepared), we stand a chance of making things work out for the best. However, if we have not prepared, our odds of taking advantage of, or even of surviving the situation, are greatly diminished.
What would happen if there was a terrible storm, and you weren’t prepared? Compare that to
How things might be if you had been prepared. In short, when life happens, you are either prepared, or you are not. Being prepared is primary based on your ability to anticipate a situation, plan a response, and then act. Done properly, an interview for a job takes a lot of preparation. Have you noticed a pattern here? For the big things in life, we generally notice that there is some preparation involved.
However, I believe even the little things in life require preparation. True, the small things in life typically have small consequences for failure to prepare. While it might seem so at the time, the world will not end if you forget to tape your favorite sporting event. Basic things can benefit from preparation. Like always having a little cash, just in case the digital wallet option at the checkout is down. Like having some food and water, as well as an evacuation bag, in case of a natural disaster. The list could go on and on, but I think you get the idea. Life is full of ups and downs, successes and failures. Some are big, others are small. Since we have a finite amount of time, we cannot be completely prepared for absolutely anything that might ever happen. At some point we have to say, “If that happens, I’ll just deal with the consequences.” If you live in an area prone to natural disasters, not having an evacuation bag ready would be a very big risk. If a wild fire, tornado, flood, or hurricane were coming, it would be a lot less stressful to simply grab the bag and go, rather than frantically running around the house trying to get the proper number of socks and clothes gathered, right? People often talk about how they are waiting for their big break or that if they were just given the opportunity, they would take it and run with it. But would they really? That would mean that they have to be prepared when the opportunity presents itself, and unfortunately, the majority are simply not. A really bad habit to get into is talking more about what you would do given the opportunity — than actually working to create that reality. The failure of preparation could be much larger for those not prepared for the natural disaster, compared to those not prepared for a snack stop, right? So before you can determine where your preparation needs a bit of work, we need to figure out what you are unwilling to suffer a failure.
Where in your life is failure not an option? How is your preparedness in those areas? While you may have done some preparation, is it the proper amount based on your aversion to failure? Some things cannot be prevented, but other times failure happens because the smallest thing is missing. One thing I’ve learned from being both unprepared and prepared at pivotal times in my life is that life presents us with limited windows of opportunity. These windows may never come again. Many are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. There are windows that will swing open, and if you’re not ready at that moment, you have to bite the bullet and accept it as a missed opportunity. Those who are proactive about their possibilities know that they can create opportunities for themselves, and in that process, prime themselves for success. If you feel there is not enough opportunity knocking, ask yourself if you are preparing for it as much as you are talking about it.
In life, you are either prepared, or you are not. Be prepared.