I may not need a Plan E – Plans C and D may work. Plans C and D may show that we’ve reached the end of the road, and my data has gone with my Hard Drive to Hard Drive heaven. Or plans C and D might reveal a plan E. That’s the way it works sometimes. You don’t need Plan Z before you start on Plan A. You just need to try Plan A, then if that doesn’t work, be open to a Plan B…and on to Plan Z!
It’s the old saw “If at first you don’t succeed, try and try and try again”! Most people who have ever succeeded in anything failed a few times first. It’s one of my favourite things about reading biographies, to see the failures that helped to create the success. That’s not because I am a horrible human being and enjoy other’s pain, but because I love to see how people overcome their challenges.
How people just keep on trying and trying and trying until they succeed. How people try Plan A, Plan B, Plan C…and just keep refining their approach until ALAKAZAM! Success. Or not. But at least if Plans A-Z all fail, you’ll know you tried everything you could. Over the past 9 years I’ve had my own business, I have often (very often!) thought of giving up. But one thought always stopped me: have I tried EVERYTHING I can think of?
Have I put my all into this? Have I exercised my creative brain to its full extent? Have I got all the support I can? Have I tried everything I can think of? Have I climbed every mountain, forded every stream? Have I followed every rainbow? Ok, enough with the Sound of Music lyrics! Every time I thought about giving up, I asked myself, have I tried everything – plans A-ZZ? And everytime the answer has been no.
This comes relatively easy to me, because I am tenacious (stubborn) and I don’t give up easily. But I’ve noticed that some people do. Some people find it hard to get past Plan A failing, and give up there and then. But if you haven’t even got to Plan E, you haven’t really given yourself a chance to find a solution, or to succeed. Plan A doesn’t always work, so you need a Plan B, and C, and D, and if possible, E!
You don’t want to flog a dead horse, but you also don’t want to give up on the horse altogether because you haven’t thought about what else you could do. You are a creative, intelligent, inspired being (oh yes you are!), and you have untapped resources within you and all around you – mental, physical and spiritual resources. And if you can’t think of a Plan B? Well, that’s why God created other people (and Auntie Google!). Keep going…if plan A doesn’t work, there’s another 25 letters to go!
Love
Donna.x
Comments
9 responses to “When Plan A Doesn’t Work”
Thanks Billie! Yes, there’s a definite “formula” that emerges from the stories isn’t there? x
Lol Cassandra! True!
I also love to read the biographies of successful people. The story is usually the same-passion and drive kept them going and lead them to finally succeed. I love the idea of going through the alphabet of plans. If something doesn’t work, try something else! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Jodi! Yes, I agree – it seems to be a key success step! 😀 x
Yay! I love this post. One of the things that I notice between those who succeed and those who don’t is exactly what you’re writing about: they don’t give up. They keep going. And keep trying new things. And keep at it. I love that you’re doing exactly that! Big hug!
It’s awesome isn’t it?! And there’s also the option of AA AB AC etc…right up to ZZ! 😀 x
You’re right Pamela, it’s hard to focus when we’ve got 50 different things going on. Perhaps a great reason for focusing on one major goal at a time eh?! x
Wow, I’ve never heard that saying, but I love it! And if we run out of letters we can switch to numbers 😛
Sometimes it seems how many plans we are willing to try is tied closely to how badly we really want something. Of course, outside circumstances can make the struggle to keep trying more overwhelming, but committing and creative thinking go a long ways. It also seems that there are so many things to want, it’s hard to focus the energy we need for the long haul because we’re split in so many directions, and we end up giving up all around too easily.