Do You Have a Backup Plan?

By: Ryan DuBois

In today’s world, we rely on automation, technology, and complex systems to run our businesses, homes, and even entire economies. But what happens when these systems break down? Because at some point, they inevitably will.

Brené Brown, in her book Dare to Lead, talks about the importance of vulnerability in leadership:

“Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome.”

This resonates deeply with the uncertainty that can arise when systems fail. You might not be able to control a breakdown, but you can control how prepared you are to handle it.

How Long Could You Last?

How long could your organization function if your ERP system was hacked and offline for three or four weeks? What would the cost be if your business operations came to a sudden halt?

Tony Robbins often emphasizes in his seminars the importance of anticipation over reaction. He says,

“Leaders anticipate; losers react.”

Being caught off guard by a system failure or unforeseen challenge isn't just about financial losses; it's about the operational downtime and the human impact. Have you anticipated potential breakdowns, or are you simply reacting?

Let’s draw a comparison to life. Think about your personal life systems. Do you have a backup plan if your primary source of income suddenly vanished?

Planning for these contingencies isn’t about expecting disaster; it’s about setting yourself up for resilience.

What Are Your Critical Paths?

This isn’t meant to provoke fear but to prompt reflection.

What are your critical business processes?

Do you have contingency plans in place?

Do you have built-in redundancy?

Consider Stephen Covey’s wisdom from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People:

“Begin with the end in mind.”

When you identify your critical paths and design backup plans around them, you're not only thinking ahead, you’re taking control of future outcomes. It's not about avoiding problems altogether—that’s unrealistic. It’s about minimizing the impact when things go wrong. Covey also said,

“Effective people are not problem-minded; they’re opportunity-minded.”

Do you see a potential system failure as an opportunity to become stronger and more resilient?

The Power of Proactive Thinking

While being proactive takes significant time and planning, it can save you enormous amounts of money, frustration, and resources in the long run. And perhaps most importantly, it protects your most valuable asset—your people.

As Tony Robbins says,

“Resourcefulness is the ultimate resource.”

The ability to think ahead and create solutions before problems arise is the foundation of leadership.

Take it to your personal life again—

• relationships
• health
• finances.

How many of us wait for something to break before we fix it? Are you waiting for a personal crisis before you start working on your relationships, your health, or your financial stability?

Being proactive in life, just as in business, can prevent minor issues from becoming catastrophic.

In Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl reflects on the human spirit’s resilience:

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

Proactively creating life backup plans doesn’t just help you navigate difficult times—it strengthens your character and adaptability.

Controlled Burns, Not Wildfires

As leaders, we must strive to be forward thinkers, anticipating potential problems before they arise. Yes, you can still be a firefighter if you choose, but why not create controlled burns—intentional measures that prevent an entire forest from going up in flames?

In life, setting intentional boundaries and preparing for change can also prevent overwhelming stress. Think of mental health as a controlled burn: by taking time for self-care and reflection, you're preventing burnout.

Author James Clear, in Atomic Habits, writes:

“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”

This applies not just to business systems but to personal habits and daily routines. The better your systems, the less likely you are to be caught off guard by life’s disruptions.

Action Steps to Consider

Here are a few thought-provoking questions and action items to help you take this concept of proactive planning to heart:

Business Backup

• What’s one thing you can implement today to strengthen your contingency plans?
• Is there a key system that, although you don’t need it right now, could significantly benefit your team in the future?

Life Backup

• What relationships in your life are vulnerable to breakdown? What small actions can you take today to strengthen them?
• Do you have an emergency fund? A savings plan? What’s one financial move you can make this week that your future self will thank you for?

Preventative Fires

• What’s one phone call you’ve been delaying that could mitigate a future problem?
• Could a small, intentional change—like regular team training or a personal health check-up—help prevent bigger fires in the future?

What Businesses (or Lives) Don’t Need the Internet?

Finally, think about this: What businesses today could continue to operate without the internet? In this digital age, it seems like none. But businesses that have redundancy plans—be it paper-based backups, alternative communication channels, or local storage systems—are better positioned to withstand technological disruptions.

This thought extends to life as well. In a world of constant connection, who are the people or practices in your life that don’t require technology to thrive?

When was the last time you nurtured your offline world?

The time to plan for the unexpected is now—before the next fire breaks out. Whether in business or life, being proactive about your backup plans is essential. As leaders, it’s not enough to react to crises; we must anticipate them, plan around them, and build systems that protect both our business and personal well-being.

Start today by asking yourself: What’s my backup plan?

Committed to You, Committed to Excellence!

Your friend,

Ryan DuBois