I recently heard the phrase ‘All is well that ends well’ and it finally got my attention. I’ve heard it many times previously and my reaction has typically been ‘Wah, wah, wah, wah!’ This time it is different. As someone who does a great deal of planning this concept is important to me. I plan for myself and I plan for my clients. You may not mind, but I always am bothered by poor planning, whether someone else’s or my own. Poor planning causes failure, disruption, consternation and simply more work and unnecessary work at that. I don’t like any of those outcomes! So, I try to plan carefully and thoughtfully, using the acronym M.A.P. as my guide. M.A.P. represents Measurable, Attainable and Profitable and is how I base my goals and plans. If a goal is not a M.A.P. qualified, it doesn’t make it into my plan.
So why then do my plans sometimes fail? There are likely many reasons, but most often it is because I or my team simply do not begin well. What I mean by that is that we simply don’t get into a rigorous rhythm that allows us to have the needed momentum to execute the plan properly. Therefore, even good plans are prone to failure. When evaluating how well either I or my team have done, I use another acronym, the I.E. Quotient. The letter ‘I’ represents Inspiration and the letter ‘E’ represents Execution. Well-designed plans that are not properly executed will fail. Inspiration without execution is only inspiration. Navy SEAL, Jocko Willink, author of the bestselling book, Discipline Equals Freedom: Field Manual claims that the problem is the lack of discipline not the lack of inspiration or motivation.
Not everyone gets a second chance. If you do get one, take advantage of it because it is a gift, and it may be better than somethign you had before!
Beginning well therefore requires discipline, digging the ditches, doing what needs to be done, even when it is tedious, boring, difficult and without fanfare. Willink states that you don’t even have to be motivated, you simply must be disciplined. Without this rigor, plan execution may not be complete enough to attain success.
So, what happens when you don’t begin well and a plan goes ‘sideways’? That too is simple – you course correct and start over and try to begin well this time. ‘Second chances’ is one of the most beautiful phrases in the human vernacular.
Some people believe second chances are human rights and others believe that you must deserve a second chance to have one. I would like to understand the logic in either of those beliefs but doubt I ever will.
When a plan takes you into a ditch due to poor execution, you may have to change your plan to get back on track. More than likely though, if you planned well and followed the requirements of M.A.P., it will be your execution that needs to change. That will take discipline, rigor and a measure of courage.
I believe that courage is a key factor and often what is easily perceived as slothfulness is sometimes fear getting in the way of execution. I you are afraid about making a phone call to someone for fear of rejection, you either step into the fear and make the call anyway or not. And if you don’t, your plan will already be headed off track. The best way to fight through the fear, and that is what is required, you must discipline yourself to be obedient to your plan and ‘just do it’ until the doing gets easier and the fear dissipates.
Not to imply that laziness doesn’t also happen. When people don’t have a conscience that leads them to have the attitude to give more than they take, laziness can surely be a factor. Sometimes people don’t take ownership of the work that they do so the work becomes a job. When that happens, there is a risk of not giving your best and lacking the discipline and rigor needed to effectively execute the plan. If you have the Willink discipline, rigor will follow and eventually become part of your DNA. Then you will be executing the plan and giving it a chance to succeed. That, whether the first time or second chance, is beginning well.