Waiting For Perfect Conditions?

"He who observes the wind will not sow, And he who regards the clouds will not reap" - Eccl 11:4

This was written thousands of years ago, and yet the wisdom it brings us is timeless. This brief statement exposes the mistake of putting off decisions because of waiting for perfect conditions.

Instead of planting, the sower mentioned above kept procrastinating. Why? Well, maybe the wind was too strong, too weak, or it just may not feel quite right. He was not going to do anything unless everything was perfect.

Of course we want to prepare properly for our plans. Of course we want everything to be just right and perfect.

But how perfectly prepared do we have to be to finally act? How perfect should everything be before we decide?

I remember having a talk with someone who spoke of having a lucrative business based on a hobby he was good at and passionate about. Some years ago, he talked about a wonderful service he could provide others for a fee, if only he had the right knowledge and equipment.

He was producing some amazing presentations with just a simple computer and his supposedly, limited knowledge. Fact was, when some people saw what he was producing, they were putting in orders which could have jump-started his business.

But he turned down these opportunities. He said that he wasn't prepared without the right know-how and equipment. Ok, that's understandable. Aside from his raw talent and imagination, he needed training and equipping.

Some saw his potential, and decided to sponsor him so he could finally launch his business. The training wasn't cheap, but they felt he was worth it. Not only did they put up the money for his education, but also upgraded his computer system.

Later on, these sponsors were gratified when they saw that his latest productions were even more awesome than before. But to their surprise, he was still turning down orders!

He just kept saying that although he had learned much from his training, it wasn't enough. He had to know more. Although he had a more powerful computer than before, he claimed he had to have a complete, state-of-the-art system before he could launch his business.

But the problem is, he's been saying this for some years now. The years have gone by, his knowledge and skills have increased, his equipment has been upgraded, and his productions have intensified ... BUT(!), his planned business and its projected profits are still nowhere near reality!

I discussed with him the possibility of starting small. Use what he had available and build from there. The business may not be perfect at the beginning, but it would be a start. I mean, just get it going and get some momentum working for him. Earning while he learns. While he didn't have everything yet, he did have what was necessary to start on a limited basis.

His response? No, not yet. Everything has to be there. Conditions needed to be perfect.

Meantime, time is quickly passing by and still, nothing seems to be happening where his business is concerned.

Fence-sitters may have the greatest and noblest intentions there are. But without decisive actions, they will always be fence-sitters.

Why be a fence-sitter when you could be an achiever, right?

Dream! Decide! Act!

Cheers,
primeprojects

When The Unexpected Threatens To Screw Things Up ....

Have you experienced planning things out as carefully as you could only to have things backfire on you? Ever gone through a series of steps that promised expected results only to come face to face with the unexpected? Happens, right? But the question is, what did you do when that happened?

Here's how a grade schooler reacted when the unexpected threatened to up his plans.

A grade school class was coming up with a Christmas play. Of course, the story of Joseph and Mary coming to the inn had to be told. There was one boy who wanted very much to play the role of Joseph. But when the parts were given out, Joseph's part was given to his biggest rival. Instead, he was assigned to be the inn keeper - the bad guy who turned Joseph and Mary away!

He was extremely upset about this. So during rehearsals, he kept scheming how to get even with his rival, who was playing Joseph. Then, it hit him! He knew what he needed to do to louse up his rival's performance.

Finally, on presentation night, Mary and Joseph came walking across the stage. They knocked on the door of the inn. The inn-keeper opened the door, and asked them roughly what they wanted.

Joseph then delivered his memorized and well-rehearsed line, "We'd like to have a room for the night." Suddenly, the inn-keeper opened the door wide and announced loudly, "Sure! Great! Come in! Come in! And I'll give you the best room in the house!"

For a few seconds, poor Joseph was bewildered and didn't know what to do. This was not in the script, and was definitely not a part of their rehearsals! An uncomfortable silence followed.

Refusing to let this unexpected turn of events to screw him up, the boy playing Joseph thought quickly on his feet. He looked at the inn-keeper, then past him, slowly and deliberately looking first to the left and then to the right. Then Joseph said, "No wife of mine is going to stay in a dump like this. Come on, Mary, let's go to the barn!" And the play was back on course again.

Ha-ha-ha ... I laughed when I first read it and can't help laughing while reading it now. But while thinking about the story, I saw some insights that could help us when the unexpected threatens knock us off our feet.

1. Don't Lose Your Composure

When the unexpected suddenly confronts us, it's normal to be rattled and confused. However, when this happens, it's important to get a grip on ourselves, and not let these initial feelings overwhelm us. When we don't shut the door to these feelings, other emotions like fear, anxiety, anger, hopelessness, depression can come in and further muddle up our outlook.

When emotions control us, our judgment is clouded. We really don't see clearly. How many of us have said or done things out of anger only to regret those things when we cooled off later?

Remember, we may not have any control over some of the circumstances that come our way, but we certainly can control how we face these circumstances!

2. Think Creatively

From the author of "Positive Thinking," I read that every problem has a weak point. He said that we need to look at the problem from different angles so that we may develop an idea how to conquer it. If we can't find a solution through traditional and normal means, then we could explore other unconventional and unusual ways towards a solution. You've probably heard people refer to this as "thinking out of the box."

We need to train our minds to think creatively when dealing with situations, so that when an unexpected emergency takes place, we will be quick to think fast on our feet!

3. Be Positive And Act Decisively

When you find the solution to your problem, don't hesitate and second guess yourself. A brilliant idea is impotent if not acted upon. Remember one of Newton's laws that states, "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."

You will never be any closer to your goal if all you do is wish you were there. However, every step forward it will bring you that much closer to your goal.

Take action. Release the power of the idea by putting it to motion in your life!

And as we come near to 2008, these are good things to reflect on, plan on, and act on. When the unexpected comes along, these tips can act as secure footholds so that we can still have favorable outcomes -- just like the boy who portrayed Joseph!

Cheers!
primeprojects