Prepare First

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” – Attributed to Abraham Lincoln

I love the above quote as it makes clear that preparation is a key attribute of highly productive people. Of course, trial and error learning is necessary for any beginners; yet, there are easy ways to get information that will increase your likelihood to succeed. Some include:

• Talk to Experts
• Reading Books
• Attending Seminars
• Review Similar Projects
• Conduct Deep Planning
• Produce Contingency Plans

The larger the project, the more time you should spend planning and learning; however, like the quote above suggests, this does not mean you need to prepare forever. After getting ready, it is time to act swiftly. Avoid the paralysis of analysis and cut down that ‘tree’.

The old 5P adage is true: Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance.