If You Fail to Plan, You Plan to Fail

As I glance through the my daily newspaper, the news is the same as the day before and the week before.  Companies down-sizing, restructuring, or just plain going out of business.  It's an all too common news theme and unfortunately for many, an unwelcome reality.

What has really struck me in some of the news articles or television interviews, is that most of these employees were aware that their company was in financial dire straits.  For some, "the writing was on the wall" sort of speak.  In other words, many of these people knew that they were in imminent danger of loosing their income producing job.

But what is even more alarming to me, is that they have no "Plan B" or a "Back Up Plan" to deal with the loss of their main income producing vehicle (job).  It seems that many people fail to plan.  When they fail to plan, they ultimately (unwittingly) plan to fail.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not going to Monday morning quarterback their decision, but rather explore how to prepare for such a financially difficult event.

When should someone begin to prepare for the pink slip?  Hopefully, the preparation started a good time back.  Having the vision to prepare will undoubtedly give someone more leeway when faced with the loss of their job.

What should someone do to be prepared?  Well, some of the obvious.  For starters, have an emergency fund to carry them until they can find another job and stabilize their financial life.  According to the news, in a tough economy, finding employment is tougher and takes longer.  So, a larger emergency fund would be better.

Another way to cushion this financial blow is to start a home based business.  By operating a home based business one learns about the amazing tax advantages that are afforded to business owners.  That's a major plus.  Then, there is the amazing by-product of building a business: residual income.

By building an organization through a home based business via a network marketing company, can substantially reduce the financial hardship that a person could possibly face due to job loss.  And another wonderful plus, is that a business like this can sometimes afford the person the luxury to make the decision themselves to quit their job and work their business full time.

Now, I only recommend that you do this when you have at least doubled your full time income and you have been able to carry that for at least one year.  May sound like a fantasy to some of you who are reading this, but the reality is that many people are living this dream.

Well, that couldn't happen to me.  Well, yes it can.  If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.  If you fail to take action, then you essentially leave yourself vulnerable to the (bad) decisions your corporate leaders make, and that you ultimately wind up paying for.

I highly encourage you to take action today.  Take a stand today.  Say to yourself that I will be ready.  And even if that dreadful day has already arrived and you have lost your job, take the positive and bold step to start your own business today.  Why not?

You have failed to plan, but now you have another chance to plan to succeed.  That is what is so wonderful about life.  There are always second chances.  Know how to identify an opportunity.  Just when things seem bleak and horrible, just remember that after every bad storm the clouds will break and the sun will shine and good weather always comes after bad weather.  That's just the way it is.

Create your forecast.  Plan to succeed.  Do not wait until you are handed your pink slip.  Learn how to craft your own destiny and your own fate.  Don't allow yourself to be stuck in the only life you know.

Start today.  Find something you are passionate about and pursue it.  Find a company with a product that excites you and get involved.  Guess what?  If you find out later that it wasn't for you, no big deal.  It happened to me, and I moved on.  Don't look at it with a defeated attitude, look at it as a wonderful learning experience.  Extract all the positives and negatives out of that experience and learn from it and teach others.

Once you start you will be amazed how well your mind and body react to your successful thoughts and desires.  It will drive you forward.

Remember, PLAN TO SUCCEED today!