Do You Need a Plan B? Part 1
You usually have a pretty good Plan A.
But do things always go the way you plan?
Or does your day get completely out of hand?
Our goals, our to-do lists, even our visions and mapped out paths are more often than not in danger of surprises.
As you became an adult, did you know you would end up where you are right now, with what you have right now, and with whom you are right now?
Most of us are, if not surprised, a bit in awe of the path our life has taken.
As author Hugh Prather said,
Just when I think I have learned the way to live, life changes.
We need to be prepared to deal with the changes in life.
Having a Plan B for “BRIDGE OUT” situations is for when we plan something, get to a certain point and realize that the bridge on the map of our path is out. Actually a Plan C isn’t a bad plan either. Why? Because “stuff” happens!
Life does not always go according to our best laid plans, and many a time the twists and turns of life are very unpredictable, resulting in our Plan A not materializing
according to our desires. That is why every good strategist has a contingency plan, i.e. a Plan B.
The Plan B is what will be done if the risks that are attached to plan A happen.
For example: regarding WORK
The days of working an entire career for the same employer or even in the same industry are gone. Statistics show that a person graduating from college today will work for twelve different employers in five different industries over the course of their career.
I went from teaching, job placement counselor, bookstore owner, chocolate store owner, alternative high school administrative assistant, Realtor, writer, mentor…to semi-retired so far in my lifetime. And only sometimes was it due to my Plan A!
For example: regarding RELATIONSHIPS
I remember when I realized that my previous marriage wasn’t working. It took some time to figure out my Plan B. It was no longer about giving up; it was about making smart choices and planning for the future for myself and my children.
My goal in the marriage had been happiness for us: peace and safety in body, mind and home. So Plan B was not to lead away from these goals but just a different path to these goals.
We never know what’s going to happen next. Anything could happen.
Viewing your life through the lens of “what if” can be just the motivation and perspective shift you need to make changes that will make you happier. This is about all areas in your life: money, relationships, creativity, inspirations, health.
Having an “If this, then that” plan allows for the inevitable changes that life brings. And if you have a good Plan B in your head, your anxiety about Plan A will subside, or even disappear, to be replaced by a growing acceptance, even anticipation, for whatever comes.
In this Part 1 blog discussion, I want to know if Plan B’s make sense?
Are they important?
Next week, in Part 2 I’ll look to see if there are more disadvantages than advantages to time.
(I well remember my college debate days when we were taught to argue both/either side of the question and be convincing no matter what we actually believed!)
7 Comments
There are many times in your life you face the need to make a decision. You will not know where that new path will lead you but it is time to change things. For one of those decisions for me was after many leg injuries running track at the U of O – I just needed to stop and make a change or two. Now more times for studies and figuring out girls. With a big help from friends I met the right girl and my studies got better too. After the USAF we needed to decide where to go next. The first place is where we found the opportunity for place #2 – Walla Walla. Those happy results just happen from decisions that need to be made without knowing the result. Its easier to look back at your path and see how you arrive at the present place, but decide about changes and keep at it. See changes positively, make the choice, and work hard on the next path. You could decide to stay in the same place or go for that needed change – you know where you are and where will that change lead you ? (Who knows).
Earl, your point about making decisions without knowing what the results will be is probably the truth for all of us (even if we don’t like to admit it!)
After all, life IS change!
Hmmm. Tricksy! Having a Plan B when starting on the Plan A could be seen from either a ‘great fall-back’ plan or an ‘I don’t have to give Plan A full throttle since something else is ready’.
A few of my really big Plan A events didn’t go according to said plan and I was blindsided without a Plan B in place. Oddly enough, though, I still landed on my feet and was better for it. Overall I sort of like the Plan B idea, and even have made good use of them now and again. I don’t generally make a specific plan anymore, though, just some sort of general thoughts about ‘what ifs’.
What I know to be true for me is that in a worst case scenario, I’ll land on these two feet of mine and be fine – with or without a real Plan B set up in advance. Maybe it’s that I’m older now and have a wider base of experiences from which to draw. Whatever it is, I’m less freaky about things going off the deep end and taking me with them. Whatever comes down my pike, will be an adventure, whether or not it was planned at all!
Fay, you and Earl seem to both be like cats-landing on your feet regardless of whether you knew you were going to fall! And since we can’t really predict which “adventures” will be easy or fun, going “with the flow” is no doubt our best idea.
I have found that going with the flow and taking life as it is handed to you has worked. I guess that using past experience helping to get me back to a comfortable place has worked well enough when life has not gone as planned for me. Sometimes I have wished for a plan B that could just “take over” but find lots of adjustments are always needed!
Tish, how true! No Plan A, or Plan B, (or Plan Z for that matter) is foolproof! Life is full of surprises.
Plan A/Plan B reminds me of that poem and I’m not sure who wrote it (I think Robert Frost) but maybe you can help me out. Also don’t know exactly how it goes but the important line is about taking the road less traveled by and it has made all the difference in the world. Been there many times.