The Value of Planning
Hit the Road
Every morning, I get up and drive to work. I don’t even think about it. I’ve made the trip so many times, I just get in the car and it’s like I’m on auto pilot. I turn on the engine and off I go without another thought.
Contrast that with going to Walt Disney World. We’ve been there enough times we really don’t have to do much planning, but we need to do some things in advance. We purchase plane tickets, get a rental car, make Hotel and dining reservations, and we also plan what we’re going to do that we haven’t done before. The rest, we just go through a normal routine we’ve found works for us.
But when we go to a place we’ve never been before, like Costa Rica, We do a lot more planning. We research as much as we can. We learn the best time to go, the best parts of the country to see, the activities we want to try, and the places we want to stay.
We get guidebooks, get on the internet, and talk with people who’ve been there before. Then we gather all the data and plan out the trip in advance, making what reservations we can, and also realize that some decisions will have to be made on the spot. Those decisions, though, will be made in light of the research we’ve done before.
How far do you want to go in life?
Remember, the further the distance, the more you’ll need to research and plan. Figure out your best route. Get advice from people who’ve been there. Learn everything you can about your intended destination. Then be willing to change your life patterns if necessary. Chart your course, lay out your plan, stick to it, and enjoy the journey.
