Tag: Be Prepared

Be Prepared #9: Lessons from Thanksgiving

Last week, I enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with my family. Since most of our family members were out of town, we decided to skip the usual home-cooked meal and chose a restaurant near my parents’ house. It was a fantastic spot with breathtaking views of NYC—a perfect choice for the occasion.

As always, we prepared for the experience:

  • We reviewed the menu beforehand and decided what we’d order.
  • We checked traffic to ensure we’d arrive on time.
  • We even made sure to get there 15 minutes early, as requested.

But despite all that preparation, I overlooked one key detail: parking.

When we arrived, we discovered the restaurant offered valet parking—for a fee. We opted to find a self-parking facility instead to save a little money and get some steps in. After following the signs, we ended up paying the same fee for parking, but with added inconvenience. To top it off, we didn’t know the quickest route from the parking lot to the restaurant.

The lesson? Being prepared is important, but being totally prepared is vital.

In hindsight, I should have anticipated the parking situation and decided on the valet option ahead of time. While we did get our steps in, having a clear plan for parking would have been more efficient and less stressful.

Preparation isn’t just about ticking off a checklist—it’s about thinking through the full experience and anticipating potential challenges.

💡 What’s one area where better preparation has made a difference for you? Share your story!

#JustBeBetter

#StayHealthy, StayStrong,

#IOwnTheMorning

#BePrepared


Know Where You are Going

Few things are worse than getting stuck behind a driver who does not know where they are going. They break at every intersection, trying to figure out if this is the one they need to turn. They are in the wrong lane when making the turn. They are dangerous to everyone else on the road, including drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. They are frustrating and challenging to contend with.

This problem can be solved if people are willing to take the time to prepare themselves for where they are going. It is pretty easy to do. Any search engine can provide you with directions and a map. Review them beforehand and be safer on the road.

#Just Be Better

#Stay Healthy, Stay Strong

#Be Prepared

#iownthemorning

#7 – Meetings

I am not a fan of unproductive meetings. The main culprits are unprepared participants. Attending or leading a meeting you did not prepare for is disrespectful to yourself and others. It is even worse when an unprepared attendee wastes everyone’s time participating in the meeting.

Don’t waste my time, don’t waste others time, don’t waste your time. Be prepared.

#Just Be Better

#Stay Healthy, Stay Strong

#Be Prepared

#iownthemorning

#6 – Life Happens

Life Happens, and we need to equip ourselves to react to it. The best way to respond is to be prepared. We can only prepare so much for things we cannot foresee. However, we can prepare by frontloading our schedules to free up time for when our priorities need to shift. The more you get done at the beginning of a workflow (week, day, session, etc.), the more you can meet the unexpected challenges you face. No matter how well you plan, there will always be times when your priorities, schedule, and times are challenged. Be prepared. Frontload your workflow.

#Just Be Better

#Stay Healthy, Stay Strong

#Be Prepared

#iownthemorning

Be Prepared: The Expert

When someone asks me a question about my area of concentration, I expect to be able to give them a great answer. I pride myself on being the expert on my topics. When I cannot provide a great answer, it is because I am unprepared. I strive to be the expert in the room on my topic, and I work on this daily.

Preparation is the key to success. The more you prepare, the more you develop your expertise. Keep working so that others can rely on you as their expert on your topic.

#Just Be Better

#Stay Strong, Stay Healthy