Sporting teams make their plans before a season starts, planning to make finals, bring on new players, and use fresh tactics. The West Coast Eagles Australian Football League (AFL) team is no exception. But, for all the planning there comes the disappointment of plans that do not come off. Suddenly a team finds itself with a 2-10 win/loss ratio and dreams of playing finals and achieving success evaporate. What happens with the planning? How do you change plans ‘on the hop’?
s
It’s a key principle of life that plans don’t always work out the way we’d like or the way we planned them originally. That’s a no brainer. But, we potentially still become incredibly disillusioned and depressed when they fail. When they fail, we fail -- right? Wrong.
It’s a key principle of life that plans don’t always work out the way we’d like or the way we planned them originally. That’s a no brainer. But, we potentially still become incredibly disillusioned and depressed when they fail. When they fail, we fail -- right? Wrong.
s
Proverbs 15 and 16 speak not just about the frailty of plans but also about the right way to plan. Try these to buttress the message:
Proverbs 15 and 16 speak not just about the frailty of plans but also about the right way to plan. Try these to buttress the message:
s
To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue.
All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.
Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.
In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue.
All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.
Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.
In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
s
Not all of it is negative. We have to accept that our plans will change; that we’ll be required to fit our plans to changing circumstances; and, that we’ll even have times when we’ll find our plans are completely at odds with reality and we need to go back to the drawing board.
Not all of it is negative. We have to accept that our plans will change; that we’ll be required to fit our plans to changing circumstances; and, that we’ll even have times when we’ll find our plans are completely at odds with reality and we need to go back to the drawing board.
s
This is where the tough get going and simply continue through the process patiently. They think process, not outcome. There is no use whinging and complaining about the changing circumstances and then missing the opportunity at hand to adapt.
This is where the tough get going and simply continue through the process patiently. They think process, not outcome. There is no use whinging and complaining about the changing circumstances and then missing the opportunity at hand to adapt.
s
Simply, adapt and don’t spare a thought of the pain of re-work. It takes courage to not count the cost. Keep asking others you trust to validate your changing plans. If you do things for the right reasons, generally your plans will succeed. If you endure the current struggles you may keep up as a result and stay in the race for the original prize.
Simply, adapt and don’t spare a thought of the pain of re-work. It takes courage to not count the cost. Keep asking others you trust to validate your changing plans. If you do things for the right reasons, generally your plans will succeed. If you endure the current struggles you may keep up as a result and stay in the race for the original prize.
s
Most of all, if our plans fail it is not always because we’ve failed. We must disconnect our plans from our own performance to a certain extent. Be patient and attentive with your planning.
Most of all, if our plans fail it is not always because we’ve failed. We must disconnect our plans from our own performance to a certain extent. Be patient and attentive with your planning.
s
Copyright © 2008, Steven John Wickham. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
Copyright © 2008, Steven John Wickham. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.