A wise man once told me, “People who think that it is never going to rain again are destined to get very wet.” Whether it’s the stock market, your health, the weather, or the economic conditions, change is inevitable.
Success lies in creating a balance between planning for the best and preparing for the worst. There are some people that base everything in their personal and professional lives on a best case scenario.
Any minor bump in the road can cause these people to have a fatal crash. On the other hand, there are people who spend so much time planning for the proverbial rainy day that they never enjoy the sunshine.
Recently, I enjoyed a conference championship basketball game. One team was heavily favored, and they were way ahead with less than five minutes to go in the game. Their coach called time out and obviously changed their game plan.
When they came back out on the floor, they held the ball and stalled for time trying to run out the clock. Unfortunately for them, this talented team was great at shooting and scoring but was not good at this delay tactic. They turned the ball over to the other team a number of times and lost the game in overtime. It could be said that they became a victim of their own caution.
On the other hand, often a reasonable degree of caution can be an investment of a few pennies for a return of many dollars.
Recently, we installed a new computer system in our office. I will not bore you with the details as it would become immediately apparent that I know nothing about computers. The one important factor I do understand about this new computer is the dual safety backup system.
For a relatively modest cost, we can protect ourselves against losing information worth many thousands of dollars if, indeed, the information could even be replaced at all. In all situations we must weigh both the risk and the reward.
Sometimes, the choices can be literally life and death. This year I have realized one of my long-term goals as we are traveling for a number of my events in a private plane.
When making arrangements for our first trip, I noticed all of the expenses itemized in the contract. It listed fuel, airport charges, and the pilot’s fee. When I inquired about the cost of the co-pilot, I was told that they generally don’t provide one on private flights. When I found out the cost for the co-pilot was approximately $200, which represents a tiny fraction of the expense of traveling in a private plane, I let them know that I would always be traveling with a co-pilot. While the risk may be small, the consequences are permanent.
As you go through your day today, look for ways to both plan for the best and prepare for the worst.
Today’s the day!
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Jim Stovall is the president of Narrative Television Network, as well as a published author of many books including The Ultimate Gift. He is also a columnist and motivational speaker. He may be reached at 5840 South Memorial Drive, Suite 312, Tulsa, OK 74145-9082, or by
e-mail at JimStovall@aol.com. Visit http://www.JimStovall.com
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