Are you Prepared?
You may be asking, “Am I prepared for what, Scott?” My answer is: “Are you prepared for anything?“
You see, anything can happen. Anywhere. Any time. Therefore, you should ALWAYS BE PREPARED. For anything, and everything. Let me explain.
Recently I attended an event for the Nashville Association of Sales Professionals. I am currently in charge of a biweekly event in one town, but this day I was attending the other biweekly event in another town.
As the networking part of the event was drawing to a close, the host mentioned to me that the speaker had not yet arrived. What would you have done in that moment:
– say, “Bummer”?
– say nothing and take your seat?
– say, “If you need me to step up and do a 15-minute presentation, I will be happy to do so.”?
Well, I guess that probably depends on whether or not you were PREPARED.
In my case, I took the third option. A few minutes later, when it was time for the host to introduce the speaker, the person scheduled to talk still had not arrived. As a result, he introduced me, and I gave a presentation on the Six Levels of Personal Communication.
You may be thinking, “Well, that will never happen to me.” If you believe that, you are absolutely correct. However, if you are looking for personal (and possibly professional) growth, if you are looking to get out of your Comfort Zone and into your Power Zone, or if you are merely looking for Opportunity, let me give you some advice:
Be Prepared.
You see, I have heard both “Luck” and “Success” defined as what happens when “Preparation meets Opportunity.” Do you want more Success in your life? Then you will want to start thinking through the different ways you can Serve. What could go wrong with an event? How might you be able to save the day? Only when you think through these questions BEFORE an event can you truly be effective as a servant.
The Scout Motto is, “Be Prepared.” As cool as that is, your adopting that as your standard by which to live only goes as far as your ability to respond. In order to be prepared fully, in what area(s) do you need to improve: your Faith Walk, Relationships, Money Management, Career or in your Health? I would suggest picking the area in which you need the most improvement, and start “stepping up your game.” Read some books. Attend some events by professionals in that area. Ask questions to people more knowledgeable than you in that area, and keep asking until you fully comprehend the topic. Then go to your next area of improvement.
When you REMAIN in the Learning Mode, you will feel younger, your brain will stay sharper, and you will be asked – over time – to serve more. People will see that you have an attitude of Preparedness, Servanthood…and Wisdom. When you possess these three items, you will truly be prepared for most any event in life.
Go forth and Prepare… to be amazed!
