Studied Readiness

In some recent reading, I came across the phrase, "studied readiness."  Have you ever been reading a book or article and something in the collection of sentences grabbed you, causing your mind to race in a completely different direction from the intended theme?  Well, that's exactly what happened when my eyes were caught by those words.  My mind took a brief detour...that led to some helpful reflection.

I can think of many situations where "studied readiness" was needed and implemented.  On the flip side, my memory recalls times when such readiness was needed but didn't exist.  Studied readiness requires teams and techniques.  Never can anything of significance be accomplished without deliberate preparation and strategic participation.  You want to make a positive difference in your business, school, community, or church?  Study long enough to predict the obstacles and outcomes.  Work to be aware of blind spots and prepare contingency plans.  Encourage collaboration with the voices of the right team members.  Live with the mantra that my dad engrained in me: "Time spent in preparation is never wasted time."  An over-eagerness to accomplish can be the trap for an ill-prepared strategy that produces half-baked results.  So, discipline yourself, your team and organization to spent the invaluable time to gain the "studied readiness" that the desired outcome deserves.

Are you READY?