2.6: Prepare for action – PLAN

Have you ever ridden in a multi-million dollar executive jet?

My brother has been a professional pilot all his life. I once flew with him from Colorado to Florida in one of the most technologically advanced executive jets ever built. He had been flying this magnificent airplane and his billionaire employer all around the world. He was thoroughly trained and had hundreds of hours of experience flying this particular aircraft. Yet, without fail previous to take-off, he and his co-pilot always went through a predetermined checklist.

I asked him why.

He said, “Three reasons: One, the checklist is too lengthy. Two, it is too important, and three, the navigation set up is sequential.” He went on to explain that a pilot cannot just jump in the cockpit and take off heading for some uncertain destination just because he wants to fly. Precise navigational information must be accurately calculated and entered into the computers.

“You have to know where you’re going, how long it will take you to get there, the weather enroute, how many passengers and the amount of luggage they bring, and several other factors before you start even one engine,” He explained.

If a flight from A to B takes careful planning – so should your life.

You have been called to something important in this life. God has placed you here for a reason – to solve a problem, lend a hand, heal a hurt, fix what is old and broken or discover something new. Unfortunately life does not come with instructions, and dreams have no directions attached.

You have to figure it out yourself. Like preparing to fly an executive jet, your life is too long, too important and in need of accurate navigational information for you not to plan. You must plan.

What do I mean to plan?

The richest man the world has ever known explained it like this: “Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house.”

I know you are in a hurry to get on with the tasks before you. You are excited about where you are going and what you intend to accomplish, but to get there and arrive safe and ready to serve, may require some significant planning.

Think about it, every project demands plans. Whether you want to build a 100-story skyscraper, become a veterinarian, or go to the grocery store for milk, you plan.

Why? Because life is naturally sequential; this must happen before that can happen. President Dwight Eisenhower said, “The older I get the more wisdom I find in the ancient rule of first things first. A process which often reduces the most complex human problem to a manageable proportion.”

“A manageable proportion” is about all you can handle at one time, and that is what planning is. Break down the process of reaching your goals into manageable proportions and you will know precisely what must be done next.

When things are in order, in logical, proper sequence, good things happen: Barriers are eliminated, detours avoided and, to continue our flight analogy, a safe landing can be made at the proper destination.

So plan you must.