PRIOR PREPARATION IS KEY
Hello fabulous steemians! I trust your day is going smoothly. Mine is going just fine. I have a gist for you. I wish you could have been there in 2012. My mentor asked me one morning to prepare and accompany him to a speaking engagement he had that evening, He was to speak to a group of graduating secondary (High School) students in a Presbyterian School in Calabar. He had told me he will be speaking about Life After school and How best to Prepare for the future. When it was 30 minutes to the time, I called to inform him that I was ready and unlike him, he asked that I move to the venue.
I arrived the venue and called him again, then, he shelled the bomb! He asked me to stand in for him. Can you believe my state of confusion? I felt taken unaware for some minutes. And by this time, I was already at the back of the hall, the meeting had just commenced. Imagine my position. For few minutes, I was thinking fast and breathing sportingly.
Before I could get stabilized, beside me was the Senior Vice President of the school, she was responsible for emceeing the congress. She said to me "Sir, I believe you are the speaker sent to speak to us". I signaled in affirmation. The good feeling came when I looked at myself, I had dressed presentable. My self esteem built up within seconds as she handed me the handwritten agenda, whispering and pointing to show me that I will be called up the podium in less than 10 minutes time. It was my first time of being in such position of test. I decided I will speak off the cuff, it’s my style.
QUICK DECISION MAKING IS A VITAL SKILL YOU NEED TO CULTIVATE IF YOU MUST GO BEYOND YOUR PERCEIVED LIMITS.
Yes! I call it perceived limits because, we have no limits except that which we impose on ourselves.
Fast forward to my later experience. Guess what. It was awesome! I shared my personal stories with them, talked about my fears, my hopes and shared some random motivation for success and excellence I had read over time. I felt remarkable as my audience looked at me as though they were blown away by how wild my imaginations were and the visions and plans I shared about my future.
Note: I may be been one or two years older than most of them. I was 6 years younger then. But was already thinking global and held weighty dreams.
Preparation is the secret door to significance.
Before that day, I had learned this;
"Great achievers understand the importance of relentless preparation of their mind, body, emotions and key skills."
I had made personal preparation my thing. I had read many books, learned communication skills, and learned how to overcome stage fright. This was the secret to my good performance on the day I was taken unaware. I test that launched me into significance.
Guess what, I became a regular visitor to that school as a speaker. They felt I was a good fit and motivator to them because I was as young as they were.
A speaker once asked;
Exceptional athletes go through many years of painstaking preparation before turning up for the Olympics. Why?
The answer is;
Because they are smart enough to know that the quality of their preparation will decide the quality of their performance.
Friend, how well have you prepared for your tomorrow. Or do you leave your life to chance. Do you live as the day comes?
Do not leave your life to chance. Good preparation is key to success when opportunity come knocking.
Or would you rather ask opportunity to wait for you to go and get some skills or prepare to fit in for the task? That won't tell good of you. That's a life of regret and "I wish".
It's your life, live in preparedness.
Be Awesome.
Be You!