Preparation

Podcast Version
(With NotebookLM AI)

Preparation: The Least Sexy Factor of Success
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Preparation is the foundation of success. It involves deliberate planning, acquiring necessary skills, and building a strong mindset. Preparation ensures you are equipped to face challenges and seize opportunities. As Benjamin Franklin famously said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” 

Why Preparation Matters:

Preparation isn’t glamorous. It’s disciplined, steady, and relentless. It involves deliberate steps when nobody's watching. It's the research done late at night, consistent training when motivation wanes, and deliberate rehearsal of critical conversations. This quiet, persistent effort amplifies every aspect of the TFOS formula (Preparation x Vision x Courage).

Without preparation, the formula equates to zero. Preparation can vary broadly or narrowly, depending on your life goals. If you aim to be an expert, it means deeply understanding your subject. This could be academic or practical. For broader success, diversifying your experiences is crucial. That is why it is important to realize your GOALS so that your preparation is effective.

Don’t forget that preparation is continuous. At every step in life you need to keep preparing for the next. You are never done preparing. Success builds gradually, step-by-step, easing the pressure for quick perfection. As George Bernard Shaw noted, "Men are wise in proportion, not to their experience, but to their capacity for experience."

Yet, preparation isn’t always a choice. Factors like birthplace, family, race, and gender undeniably influence our initial conditions and opportunities. It makes a difference whether you are born in rural areas of Missouri, the bush of Africa, the Amazon forest or Manhattan. (This video is a scary reminder of that privilege, what it does to you mindest and how easy it is to forget.)

While these elements shape part of your journey, they don’t dictate all aspects of your success. True holistic success encompasses more than monetary. Having the VISION to remain aware of your surroundings and seeing the opportunities that come by, however small, is a critical element of the equation to break the mold and turn the status quo into a hero story.

 
Learning from Others – Be Open-Minded:

Successful individuals are eager learners, absorbing lessons beyond their own experiences. Douglas Adams humorously noted, "Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so." History offers countless insights, yet humans often neglect this wealth. George Bernard Shaw aptly observed, "If history repeats itself, and the unexpected always happens, how incapable must man be of learning from experience."

Learning from Yourself – Have Courage to Fail:

Trial-and-error accelerates personal growth, though it requires courage. Reflective accountability matters deeply. Dr. Robert Anthony Beddard emphasized, "When you blame others, you give up the power of change." Regular self-reflection propels personal development, aligning well with the Chinese proverb: "Be not afraid of growing slowly, be only afraid of standing still."

Courage complements preparation by empowering resilience against short-term failures to achieve long-term success.

Practical Tips: Staying in a State of Preparation:

To maintain a consistent state of preparation, schedule regular time dedicated to learning and skill-building. Establish clear, achievable goals aligned with your broader vision. Like a decision three, make a preparation three. Start from your goal and work backwards to what you need to know and be able to do to get there. Then further break those elements down into smaller components until you get to a workable action plan today. If you have multiple goals, you might find that some preparation will be more important as they are driving multiple goals, that is where you start.

Create an environment conducive to focused work, minimizing distractions and reinforcing productive habits, patterns and beliefs.

Conclusion:

Success hinges significantly on preparation. By embracing preparation as your silent partner, you're equipping yourself not just for success, but sustaining excellence.

Don’t forget. It is the small daily steps that turn into positive habits, patterns, and beliefs ingrained in body and mind. Enjoy the journey!

BONUS TIPS COACH GLENN:

Once you understand that life is a series of games, not just a single one, you can dare to try more things. Learn in one phase of your wins and failures to be better at the next. You can learn more from one bold action, than ten thoughts that never happen. See success and failure as just preparation for your next phase in life. The more you prepare, the better you will get.

The most prepared individuals I've worked with make preparation an integral part of their daily lives. They view preparation not as a chore but as an essential practice that differentiates great leaders from good ones. Preparation allows leaders to respond effectively to challenges, seize opportunities decisively, and continuously innovate. It’s a non-negotiable habit for sustained success. That is a habit that can be taught through endurance training.

One of the key benefits of endurance training is the character building of training daily for months with only the race far in the future. It is the focus on consistent preparation, wihtout the need for quick gratification, that turns highly capable people into successful, patient and visionary leaders.

I love this video by Tom Cruise on how preparation plays a role in his success: 

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