Wouldn’t it be nice if plans always worked? But they don’t.

The problem, of course, is that Reality continues to do what it wants, despite the best planning. It sure would be nice if the rest of the world lined up the way I want, but rarely does it work out that way.

So why bother? Why not just spend every moment just responding to whatever’s thrown my way, with all the cleverness and energy I can muster?

It’s because a plan helps focus the things I DO control. Primarily me and my colleagues.

I think through contingencies in advance. I move resources around. I get people aligned around what the objective is. A plan helps us to do that in a consistent way, aligning our energies and skills to make the most impact we can.

But we have to remember that’s still just about taking the next step. What I can do now.

Because Reality always has surprises in store.