A man applied for a job on a ranch, providing just one reference which came back with a cryptic response of “He sleeps in a storm.” Since he was the sole applicant and the need dire, the owner hired him on the spot and put him to work. A month or so later, a major storm blows up out of the blue. The owner calls the ranch but gets no response. Worried, he drives out through the thundering rain and blustery winds. To his delight he finds the animals safe and secure in the barn with plenty of feed and well-tended stalls. The bales of hay are stocked neatly inside, safe from the drenching rain. The grain silo is tightly secured and the grain is dry. Last of all he checks the ranch house, finding his hired hand sound asleep.
Then he understands: “He sleeps in a storm.”
Folks, it’s the things we do BEFORE a crisis, the prep work, that get us through the crisis. Most of life is basic blocking and tackling. The key is doing it well, every day, all the time, day in and day out, whether anyone is watching or not. Persistence pays and hard work beats talent every time when talent doesn’t work hard.
Closing Quotes:
“Good luck is a residue of preparation.” ― Jack Youngblood, defensive end for LA Rams (14 seasons), one of only five Florida Gators to be named to the Gator Football Ring of Honor
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” ― Benjamin Franklin
“I will prepare and someday my chance will come.” ― Abraham Lincoln
As always, I share what I most want/need to learn. – Nathan S. Collier