Plan B

Today I want to challenge your way of thinking.

We have all been taught when pursuing our goals, dreams and ambitions, we should always have a back-up plan—a Plan B—just in case things don’t work out.

But what does your Plan B do to your Plan A? You Plan A is the thing you desire most. It is what you want in your heart, who or what you really want to be. What actually happens when your Plan B takes effect? If you fall back on your plan B that means that plan A fails. You have exhausted all of your efforts and done all that you could to achieve your dream and it just didn’t happen. There was absolutely nothing else you could have done. You pushed the envelope, operated outside of your comfort zone, walked out on the ledge, and took that leap—or even jump—of faith. Things just didn’t work out. So now you have Plan B.

This is where I want to challenge your thinking. How can you actually put forth all your efforts to achieve your goals, when you also have to simultaneously develop your back up plan? Plan B serves as a cushion, and the bad thing about having a cushion is that you really don’t exceed your limits because you know that there is something always there to catch you. The sense of urgency is loss, and replaced by contentment and mediocrity. Yes, your Plan B still allows you to pay your bills, live in that nice house, drive that nice car, but not you hate your job, you have an attitude with everyone in your life, you dread waking up in the morning and you always talking to other about what you would have done, could have done, or should have done if your Plan A succeeded. In reality, what does Plan B really offer you?

So what happens if you decide to really have faith in yourself and your ambitions? Ask me what my Plan B is I’m going to tell you I don’t have one. All I have is a Plan A. Ask me what I’m going to do if my Plan A fails? I’m going to tell you, I’m going to get another Plan A. I’m going to find another desire and I’m going to work just as long, just as hard and be just as persistent in order to attain it. I have to succeed because I cannot accept anything less. There is nothing else. Total, and complete dedication cannot fail too many times—Benjamin Franklin, Michael Jordan, Heinz 57, Raja Bell, Chauncy Billups, Ben Wallace, Bill Gates, Martin Luther King, Jr., Madame C.J. Walker, T.D. Jakes, Joel Osteen, Jermaine Jackson, Malcolm X, etc. How many rainy days did these people have before their Plan A succeeded. Theses people pursued their dreams, and when things seemed like they were failing, they dug in deep and pursued it harder, with more intensity, and they succeeded.

Throughout history people have risked all they had and sacrificed so much in their pursuit of happiness—they did it.  Why can’t you?