BUMPER STICKER: PLAN AHEAD

One of my friend’s bumper sticker reads “Manifestation, 2009”, predicting what the year holds in store. But nothing will change if we don’t apply an active approach to make them change, Faith without works is dead says the Holy Bible. January is synonymous to the door of the year, a month when hopes are rekindled and most people determine the direction they want their year to turn, thus the importance of planning. According to Alan Lakin (a writer), planning is brining the future into the present so that you can do something about it now. Richard I. Winwood says planning is a process of choosing among those many options. If we do not choose to plan, then we choose to have others plan for us.

What goal do you want to accomplish this year? Are you aiming for a better grade at school? Choosing a career? Getting into university? Or taking a gap year to travel and broaden your horizon? Planning ahead will help shape the way you take decisions in the course of the year. For example, if you flunked JAMB or WAEC exam last year, it means you need to look beyond the embarrassment of failing, anger, excuses or frustration and study harder. Your plan may include dedicating more time to study. A good plan is like a road map that shows how to achieve your goals.

Not everyone believes in the need to plan ahead, yet they are successful. For example, award-winning actor, Heath Ledger once said “I’m not good at future planning. I don’t plan at all. I don’t know what I’m doing tomorrow. I don’t have a day planner and I don’t have a diary. I completely live in the now, not in the past, not in the future.” But in the words of former British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, “those who plan do better than those who do not plan.” Thus it is imperative to plan ahead in order to stay ahead.

Most plans fail because of lack of direction, like Alice , we wander with no sense of purpose and expect things to change. Alice ’s Adventures in Wonderland as told by Lewis Carrol: “Would you tell me which way I ought to go from here?” asked Alice . “That depends a good deal on where you want to get” said the Cat. “I really don’t care where” replied Alice . “Then it does not matter much which way you go” said the Cat. If it matters where you are going to this year then please draw out a good plan on how to get there. Even the Bible says in Psalm 90:12 “Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom.” Planning skills is critical to achieving your goals at all levels. So whatever your Bumper sticker reads this year, stick it to a moving vehicle of good plan, keep an open mind that it may be interrupted, but work hard and have faith.