Home » Insights » Prepare for meaningful change

On impulse, I made a New Year’s resolution to change. So, I resigned from my job and put my flat on the market as soon as I returned. I certainly changed my life for the better. However, it was a long haul and emotionally, financially and physically challenging. Perhaps it would have been easier had I thought things through and prepared a bit more.

Prepare to succeed

Fast forward to 2012, and I have entered my tenth half-marathon. I am determined to come in under two hours and fifteen minutes instead of the usual two twenty-five.

So, I research and plan my training. Then, I sit down with a map and calculator and plan the race, working out how to use the course’s topography to maximum advantage.

I stick to both plans and finish in two hours and thirteen minutes, my personal best and within my target time.

Take time to prepare

It’s often tempting to rush in and take action when we need to make a difference. However, preparation is crucial for success.

US President Abraham Lincoln recognised the value of preparation when he declared that, if given six hours to chop down a tree, he would spend the first four hours sharpening the axe.

Another famous American and Founding Father Benjamin Franklin hit the nail on the head when he suggested that ‘If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail’. Franklin’s achievements are legendary and would never have happened without planning preparation.As changemakers, we are more likely to make a difference if we follow their examples and prepare before taking action.