Daily Inspiration 12-4-14

"The goal of planning: 

Making choices and decisions 

about what you want 

rather than waiting 

to see what's available." 

-- Albert K Strong 

I've always rather known what is coming than to wait and find out. I've used this as a strategy in all my positions of employment. In 1997, after 25 years in the auto business and the last 8 of it in commercial trucks where I also used this strategy, I went to work for a major west coast truck body manufacturer. I started at the end of July 1997 and created my own position with the approval of the owner.

In the first seven months of that year, they had sold $188k worth of truck bodies in Northern California. In the five remaining months of the year, I sold $1.4 million. How could that be? I had a strategy.

Before, they would just show up once every six months and see if you wanted anything. I used to be a customer of theirs, so I know how it was done. I went to dealers and took my own strategy of planning for what I wanted rather than waiting to see what's left and created a whole new market of pre-orders, which I then managed for them and created reports so they knew on a weekly basis what was where in the pipeline. They always had the opportunity prior to release into the production of making changes or rearranging priorities. It was a strategy that paid off handsomely to Harbor and equally to the dealers.

Just to show the potential of that, in the first 5 months, I took one order from one dealer for 110 units which was never even thought possible. I took a whole year's worth of orders in one day at a lunch meeting. This is not a brag, but an example of how this planning strategy can work.

In my current business, we started out selling websites and we had other things like a newsletter, etc. that rarely sold. It was hand to mouth living. I hated it. Then, I had a planning moment. What did I want? Constant cash flow. How could I achieve that? By changing my business to a monthly service with long-term increasing value. It was like turning on the floodlights in a small dark room.

Many wise teachers say that we create our own reality two ways. One is by default and the other by choice. Much of the world creates by default. I still see dealers doing this by seeing what is available rather than making choices through planning. Both are a reality. The only question is which works for you? I know which works for me.

I would rather take my time and plan what I want than to rush and take what is currently available. There is a far more pleasing outcome.


"Spontaneity Is One Of The Joys Of Existence, Especially If You Prepare For It In Advance." -- Alan Dean Foster 

Spread Some Joy Today--by making some choices and decisions.