Jun 2024 Plan A (& No Plan B) is the Powerful Approach to Success
“I hate Plan B, people perform better, in sports and everything else, if they don’t have a Plan B. I’ve never, ever had a Plan B.” ~ Arnold Schwarzenegger
I agree with Arnie’s beliefs on a Plan A for our MAJOR DECISIONS in life and business.
When someone makes a decision to do something that will benefit his/her business or life, (like starting a new income stream, employing a new manager, upgrading their design system or buying a new home), having a Plan A (and no Backup Plan) will service them.
Here are some reasons to have a Plan A for your big decisions
1. Many successful business owners choose an Option A for their large decisions. It prevents them from having a second option or a way out. And when there is no second option, it means they are totally focused and committed to making Option A work. Think of when you have decided to make something work, like when you started your business; you would have decided to totally commit to getting it started and making it work…. and it did.
2. It’s about having confidence in your own capabilities and trusting your ability to figure it out as you go, even when you don’t have all the answers, and when things get hard. That would have happened many times in the first 12 – 24 months, when you were stressed, and you just trusted your skills and constant action to get you through the hard times.
3. If all of your efforts are concentrated on Plan A, then failure is not an option. If you had a second option and therefore were not quite as committed to your first Plan, you could have failed. Total commitment is what is needed to make a big decision work.
Plan A came from the concept of “burning boats”
Plan A has been created from a historical event of burning boats in 1519, when a Spanish expedition led by Hernán Cortés (a Spanish captain) arrived in a foreign land called Mexico. Cortés knew his crew was already exhausted after the long sea journey, but he had to motivate them to succeed in the new land. So, he ordered his crew to burn the ships they arrived in, so there was no turning back. Cortés destroyed the safety net and secured his crew’s motivation, dedication, and teamwork, and because they each had a vested interest in succeeding, they achieved their mission.
What does committing to a Plan A, do for you mentally?
First, you decide you really want to implement a new idea in your business and you know it is totally aligned with your values. If you commit to it and have no Plan B, you approach the idea with a much more powerful mindset, and that has a big impact on your team. They can see you have done your research, have planned how it will work (or at least have seen it work elsewhere), and know it will enhance your business and not work against it. Such a mindset uplifts you and empowers everyone else.
In the immortal words of Walt Disney, “all our dreams can come true if we dare to pursue them.”
Remember, our intentions hold the key to fulfillment. Follow your Plan A and have the courage to follow it as it evolves.