Prep Time

“Prior planning prevents piss poor performance.” There was a little boy I used to babysit down the street from me when I was in elementary. This phrase is something his grandpa would say on repeat. Some years later and it’s still a sentence I use regularly. It wasn’t until recently that it came full circle and I have come to appreciate the lesson it instills… there are two ways we can live our life. One option is to sit back and let life happen to us or we can step up and happen to life. Take the bull by the horns if you will!

It has taken a large amount of mental lifting and mindset shifts for me to begin living this way. For many years I was a very go with the flow; “whatever happens, happens” kind of thinker. I still believe it is to our benefit to be able to be flexible in our day to day. However, we must have some sort of vision if we want to create a life worth living.

It is similar to shopping. If we go to the mall with a specific purchase in mind, it is with great splendor and reward we arrive back at home with that item. Going to the mall to wander aimlessly often leads to unwisely spent money and time. It may feel good in the moment, but it does not provide a lasting reward.

Delayed gratification is something I have been practicing meticulously this year. Having said, when we have a plan, we can prepare. Each season of our lives is preparing us for the next. If you really think about it, everything we do is in preparation for the next action we are looking to take! You prep food before you make nourishing meal, you prep a horse before you send it into the show ring, you prep for a big meeting before you see the customer. You get the point. Prep time is essential in creating peak performance!

What do you need to prep for in order to write the next chapter of your story? Just remember, prior planning prevents piss poor performance….