We are constantly being bombarded with books and articles that profess to tell us how to take control of our lives and once that is done we will be able to move in the right direction. On the face of it this sounds logical and we are tempted to take the proverbial bull by the horns and run. Why can’ t I become successful at any given venture based on these foolproof formulas?  Failing to plan is planning to fail, successful people use their calendars, schedule their appointments and closely watch everything that they do. This is what moves them to the top isn’t it? I am not so sure.

Yesterday a co-worker lost a loved one in an accident. No warning, he was alive in the morning and dead by evening. It was a shocking and stunning event for her and everyone who loved him. I imagine that he had plans for yesterday, the rest of the week, the weekend. So much for planning. We never really know what is going to happen.

Now I am not suggesting that we say the heck with plans. We need order in our lives and when we discuss the topic of reinvention, we will surely need to make plans in order to move forward. I think however that we can become too tied to a schedule, a list, a calendar, a to do list. We are often not able to forgive ourselves when we stray from our chosen path for the day. Let’s remember to forgive and forget. Tomorrow is (hopefully) another day to get it right. If we don’t have another day I bet the plan will not be the last thing that anyone remembers about us. Use your skills, celebrate your gifts and remember the saying “Man plans and God laughs”