Disaster Awareness and Preparing for the Worst
The Sinking of the Titanic was an event in history that we all can learn from. History has proven what works and what doesn’t. To a person with any amount of intellect, it would only make sense to use the benefit of that to improve the human experience for all. However, some among us think it’s a good idea to erase pages and in some cases chapters from the timeline of history. The more accurate our account of history becomes, the better we will be to plan and prepare for what we see as an unknown future for ourselves and our businesses.
Being prepared is the difference between life and death. Not knowing what is happening or where or when the next crisis will hit creates unnecessary stress, which will have a negative impact on your health and your life. Stress also leads to hasty and careless decision making, which almost always ends in catastrophic results for the business and everyone involved. Being a leader requires you to have the ability to lead others through the hardest of times. Great leaders understand this concept of preparedness.
Never Gamble With Luck
I’ve often said “Never leave anything to chance.” A good friend of mine mentioned this to me before a music concert we were about to perform. He said: “Once you step on stage, there is your shot. “Whatever you do up there will determine the events that follow.” I live my life by those words as they have served me very well for many years…and they continue to. Being prepared takes time to evaluate your current position with brutal honesty. And based on those findings, it also takes a very open mind to new ideas, techniques, and a different approach. But most importantly you must display an attitude of determined willingness to make the changes necessary to achieve the objectives you set for yourself and/ or your company.
“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”
Benjamin Franklin
If you have been in business for several years and think you know a little something, consider this: The rules of doing business changes every few years. If you are not changing your process, you are here by luck…and luck is like fuel. Eventually, it runs dry! Nobody has the formula to produce luck, and even if they did, you will pay one way or the other. To create your own luck, you must remove the element of chance completely.
A Stronger Approach
As we examine what happened that caused the sinking of the Titanic, we will see that over confidence led to arrogance, and that is why the ship was doomed before it ever set sail. The ship was brand new and sank during its first journey out at sea. The ship that was deemed to be “unsinkable” sunk before it made it’s first voyage successful. What if the attitude of the captain and crew were different? Would that have made a difference? Maybe. What if preparations were made for such a catastrophe. Could that have resulted in a better ending? Absolutely.
Now, I know the technology wasn’t what we have today, but being prepared would have had the people responsible for all of those souls aboard more aware of the possibilities. They could have saved more lives than they were able to, being more prepared.
We are witnessing a period in history that will help future generations prevent the horrors we will be facing in the years to come. Like the sinking of the Titanic, we need to learn from history, not erase it. There are events in life we will not have much control over, but we can master our own lives by the decisions we make for ourselves, our families and the lives of all who depend on our leadership for a successful and stable future.
If you are stuck and need some help, please contact me and let’s start the process of evaluation and planning. We will begin with your Success Map and go from there! The future is yours to explore and determine…why waste any more time? Do it now!
