Stay ready so you don't have to get ready

Today's offering comes from a little nugget I picked up in a preparation discussion with Australian Cricket's Head Coach Justin Langer the other day. It cuts to the mustard through so many situations and scenario's that I feel inspired to write what this simple phrase means to me today.

I am a huge believer that effort matters and consistency of effort determines a life. I am not so naive as to discount the impact of lady luck nor that hurdles get put in our paths from time to time. Some hurdles look like mountains when we are confronted with them but often appear as mere hills when viewed through the rear vision mirror.

At some point on the journey, if we don't guard against it, our mindset becomes fixed. We do what we do, and we get what we've usually gotten. I'm sure all are familiar with this turn of phrase. It is of course, the first sign of decay. If you aren't looking to get better, to be moving forward and to grow both individually and collectively, you will not stand still. Inevitably you will go backwards, slowly at first then with increasing momentum in the wrong direction. The beauty of Justin's phrase is in its simplicity. Stay ready so you don't have to get ready. You don't have to arrest the negative slide nor start from behind the eight ball. You just have to be vigilant, every day, to be the best you can be.

A few markers of effort that I am embracing through Covid include a dedication to self and personal fitness and a determination to retain a positive attitude. 10,000 steps a day is not a big goal but does take a little effort to complete. A push up pyramid limited to half an hour is not all that hard to fit in, but does require getting up just a little bit earlier to complete. Punctuality can slip as dress standards become more relaxed and either social distancing or closing of workplaces requires more time at home. This is the time to be vigilant. Punctuality matters always. Energy to go the extra yard matters. Lethargy is waiting to set in for the unwary. Don't let yourself get on the backward slide. The combination of effort and staying ready will assist with personal resilience to set backs and will position you to take opportunity when it knocks. An open mind will be ready to receive the opportunity rather than walk straight past it and being the best version of yourself will always be beneficial to relationships both professional and personal. When you think about it, other than consistent and never ending effort, it isn't unobtainable to stay ready so you don't have to get ready. I like it and I embrace it. What about you?