Tap In To This Unfair Advantage

Dear Essentialists,?

Think about a time when you observed a car following another car too closely on the freeway.

When traffic is running optimally everything is fine. But one slowdown creates an unsafe condition that can require fast maneuvering to avoid an accident.?

This same idea applies to our lives.

Most often it’s not the changing conditions that cause the problem, it’s the lack of buffer we give ourselves to adjust to them.?

Are you guilty of planning for the best-case scenario??

It’s easy to fall into this trap.?

The problem with this approach is something inevitably does go wrong.

Projects take longer than planned. Unforeseen problems cause delays. Costs exceed what was budgeted.??

When we give ourselves buffer, we allow ourselves space to adjust. Not everything becomes a crisis that requires all our energy to avoid.?

Use the good times to create a buffer for the problems that are sure to come.

Try these strategies to build buffer into your schedule:

• Map out big projects. Identify key dates or milestones and begin preparing for them immediately.?
• Add 50% to your time estimate for important meetings and travel. If 50% is too difficult, start with just 15 minutes.?
• Plan for worst-case scenarios. Identify where things might go wrong and have?contingency plans in place.?

“It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.”

― J.R.R. Tolkien - The Hobbit, or There and Back Again

In gratitude,?

Greg

Make sure to listen to?this week's episode ?of the?What's Essential?podcast. Simon Sinek, eternal optimist, bestselling author, and speaker stops by to share the power of discovering your "why". You can?listen here .

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