Planning is Indispensable

[kmussack]

General Eisenhower once wrote;

“In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.”

When we make plans we’re forced to make some assumptions about what the situation will be like. These assumptions may prove to be wrong.

Similarly, when our plans involve the actions and intentions of other people they may not act as we first imagined. Folks have a way of adjusting their behavior in response to a changing situation.

And there are the unknown unknowns. Those factors we never knew about when we drew up our plans in the first place. We may be faced with “Black Swan” events that our plans simply don’t include.

So, although planning is indispensable it’s equally important to maintain situational awareness and be prepared to think on your feet and adjust as required.

[Guardian]

Great advise Kmussack! I would add the adage that “2 or 3 is 1 and 1 (plan) is none”. This suggests that contingency plans or, Plan A, B, or C, would be of value. The value of contingency planning is that you’re not forced to make as many on-the-spot decisions. I agree that anyone should recognize that things are unlikely to go as planned, however, the value of studying things carefully and thoroughly, and then attempting to anticipate what might go wrong that would bring a back-up plan into play is a worth-while exercise. This thinking can apply to every one of our priorities. Food: store, barter, grow, forage, harvest (fishing & hunting); Water: your own off-grid pumping system, water filtration devices, solar distillation, fresh water source; Shelter: bug-in, bug-out, choice of vehicle, choice of tent; Medicine: herbal, prescription, topical, training, naturopathic; Self-Defense: choice of hand-gun, choice of rifle, martial arts training, air-guns (silence). The acquisition and training for each one of these can be seen an area that can be planned ahead. All or plans (plural) need to be fluid and prepared for ahead of time. Now is that time. Now is the time to plan and prepare. “Deo Duce Ferro Comitante.”

[Author]

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