Planning for Success

8/4/2021

“It’s ah good ting Bustey went outside before it rained,” commented my Mom this morning, as the rained began pouring down while we prepared our breakfast. “Actually Mom, I saw that it will rain most of the day, so I took him out before it started, I planned it Ma.” A few minutes later, we saw one of our neighbor’s dogs being toileted in the rain. As we were having this exchange, I reflected on something similar.

• 

I do not usually wait for things to happen and then adjust my life around them; for example, the rain and toileting my dog as mentioned above. I have always been a planner. Every day, I write the things I plan to do in my calendar, use to be in paper form, now I use the calendar on my phone. I review my plans for the week on Sundays, check them daily, and again periodically during the day to make sure I’m on target with everything or reschedule some things for another day if needed. I refer to this process as Planning for Success!

This morning, for example, I saw that it would begin raining in about 30 minutes, so I postponed the task on hand and hurriedly got The Bustey off to take care of his morning business. A few minutes upon returning home, it began raining, as Mom mentioned. Then around mid-day, I made the same calculated decision to toilet him before the rain showers resumed. My Mom again made the same observation and I just smiled!

I believe success, no matter how simple or complex the goal, is built on pre-planning and also on being able to adjust to the obstacles or roadblocks that frequently occur. I know, that’s nothing new right! Well, perhaps for some, but, for various reasons, for others it is a revelation.

• 

And this is where mentors or trusted guides can assist us. They should be able to listen to your goals and assist you in mapping out a direction to achieve them. Then, they can help you execute those plans using a variety of strategies. And, because they’ve been down similar paths, they understand what is needed and can be aware of the possible issues that might occur as well as suggest alternative ways of helping you achieve your goals.

When choosing a mentor, it is important to choose individuals that have been successful, who are admired for their character as well as performance, and who has the time and patience to add your journey to their lives. It also helps when you, the mentee, is ambitious, teachable, and ready to do the necessary foot work.

And, keep in mind, mentors do not always have to mentor you long term, a short period might be all that they have to give. If you have decided that this would be a good mentoring opportunity, do not pass it up! What’s important is that you define your goals and know how this mentor can assist you. This will help you to maximize the use of their time and Plan for Success!

More to come…