You Always Need A Plan

There is a scene in “Alice in Wonderland” where the following conversation takes place between Alice and the Cheshire Cat:

Alice: “I was just wondering if you could help me find my way.”
Cheshire Cat: “Well that depends on where you want to get to.”
Alice: “Oh, it really doesn’t matter…”
Cheshire Cat: “Then it really doesn’t matter which way you go.”

Alice is lost and asking for directions, but since she doesn’t know exactly where she wants to go, the Cheshire Cat can’t help her.

I find it truly remarkable how often I am presented with a similar conundrum from businessmen who are lost on their way to making their online business a success. I would like to help them, but since they don’t have a plan on how to get to their desired destination, it really doesn’t matter which way they go.

Here’s the point:

Without a plan you can’t know where you are … or where to go … to get to where you want to be.

In sales or rudimentary company management courses, you will hear this often quoted axiom:

“Fail to plan, plan to fail.”

This expression is so entrenched in the American business lexicon that it has almost lost its relevance from overuse. Still, it is not uncommon for the entrepreneur to lament his lack of meaningful accomplishment, and the planning that must always precede it, with the explanation: “There are never enough hours in the day for planning, I just have to DO IT.” I can certainly understand and appreciate this predicament, having been there often myself, but I try to remember my own advice:

If you are lost, you need a plan to find your way.

If you are not lost, and you know where you are going, you need a plan to get there.

If you are already there, you need a plan to benefit from your arrival. It’s called an exit strategy.

In short, you always need a plan.