Planning!!!

Huf!! What is Planning?

Everybody has heard the word planning right from our school days. Sometimes we do feel the questions like,

(i)Is planning really necessary?

(ii) How and what to plan?

(iii)How much to plan?

Hmm.. So, the answer for your first question is that our life itself starts with planning i.e. Family Planning!! (Remembered). If our life starts with the word planning so why not to plan for the rest of the important things in life like for our finances, Job and the most importantly for our time?. Let me share you one example, I know a person who has really planned his life very well and he was always aware of his need in life. In fact he knew that he will have his dream car in this year and he really did it. Amazing isn’t it!!!

One of the famous quotes I have come across about planning is that “Failing to plan is planning to fail” by Alan Lakein.

Now, the answer for the second question is not with me. Actually each one of us has a different prospect towards life. Somebody wants to achieve fame while somebody of us wants to achieve money while others want to achieve mental peace. The answer of the second question lies within us only. Suppose, If I want to earn money then, I should plan for its investment or try to find out some plan for business or other things.

Now, for the third question, the answer also depends upon your patience and your capability. If you have really good capability, better plan and a long term vision then, planning will be more otherwise it will be comparatively less.

Importance of Planning

Careful preparation and planning is a key step to any endeavor. When we were schooling, our teachers prepared for us a “study plan”. The college football tournament was not won by kicking the ball around, but by adhering to a “game plan”. When we had enough funds to build a house, we prepared through our architects a “building plan”. For our business to tick, we put in place “business plan”, “sales plan”, “marketing plan” and so on.

There is nothing like being prepared for every possible situation and the earlier we do it, the more assured we are of our success.

Let me tell you 2 stories regarding the importance of planning ( The stories are taken from various websites and are not created by me)

A.   Story: The Ant and the Grasshopper

In a field one summer’s day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart’s content. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest.

“Why not come and chat with me,” said the Grasshopper, “instead of toiling and moiling in that way?”

“I am helping to lay up food for the winter,” said the Ant, “and recommend you to do the same.”

“Why bother about winter?” said the Grasshopper; we have got plenty of food at present.” But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil. When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food and found itself dying of hunger, while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew:  It is best to prepare for the days of necessity.

Moral:

It is best to prepare for the days of necessity i.e. “Planning”.

     B.   Story :- This story is about three fish

Three  fish lived in a pond. One was named “Plan ahead”, another was “Think fast” and the third was called “Wait and see”. One day they heard a fisherman say he would be going to cast his net in their pond the next day.

“Plan ahead” said,” I am swimming down the river tonight”.

“Think fast” said, “I am sure I will come up with a plan”.

“Wait and See” lazily said,” I just can’t think about it now”.

When the fisherman cast his nets, “Plan ahead” was able to escape from his nets. But “Think fast” and “Wait and see” were caught by the fisherman.

“Think fast” quickly rolled his belly up and pretended to be dead. “Oh, this fish is no good!” said the fisherman and threw him safely back into the water. However, “Wait and see” ended up in the fish market.

That is why people say, “In times of danger, when the net is cast, plan ahead or plan to think fast!” 

Planning for Life
 (i)  Start with the setting a goal of five year i.e. how you would like to be seen 5 years from now;

(ii)  Now analyze the goals and describe the goals in details as much as possible;

(iii) Rank your goals in order of their importance;
(iv)  When you rank your goals you will get a clear picture of your life’s requirement and finally have a good plan to reach towards that goal.

The above steps will probably help you to build a plan towards your goal. This plan will be revised in future as per your requirements and change in circumstances. Since, the planning is about your future it will not be valid to say that, once you have made a plan it will be same throughout. The life itself is unsecured so how can there be a full proof plan, it's just the way to figure out your needs and requirements.

If you have not started planning yet then, start it now because it is “BETTER LATE THAN NEVER”. If you think you can’t do it or it is not possible for you to plan then remember the famous quote of Henry Ford, “Whether you think you can or  whether you think you can’t, you are right”

Nevertheless planning is an important part but planning without execution is of use. So, execution also plays a major role in completing your planned mission. So proper planning supported with nice execution will make your dreams come true.

If you like it or not please do comment on it.