Full Steam Ahead!: Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail | Travel Research Online

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Full Steam Ahead!: Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail

“It is a great time for thinking and reflection.”

Full Steam Ahead! by Ken Blanchard and Jesse Lyn Stoner, page 26

Although the dictionary lists rational, philosophy, and reasoning when inserting the word “thinking,” I find myself “thinking” of the word “planning.”

It was General Dwight Eisenhower who reminded us that, “Plans are worthless, but planning is everything.” Well, I am not going so far as to imply that your plan is a total waste of paper, but I will endorse Ike’s sentiments that the thinking part has great significance.

You can easily blame your stressful workday on one of a hundred various interruptions. You are either worried about your next commission check or burdened by having too much to do with too little time to address all the details appropriately.

Click on the book to grab your own copy of "Full Steam Ahead!"
Click on the book to grab your own copy of “Full Steam Ahead!”

Taking time for thinking and planning your work may sound like a luxury. As a result, a great number of agents fail to differentiate between what is urgent and what is important. Who has time to think? You are too busy reacting to problems, questions, and opportunities. “Maybe next week, month, or year I will have the time to think.”

If thinking presents so much of a problem, no wonder you never reflect on what has happened and what is about to happen. I can hear you saying right about now, “Mike. Get real! Obviously you don’t much about our business.”

The truth is I know a lot about your business. And contrary to what you might believe, you are not in the travel business. You are in the marketing business.
Although you may not require much thought when fulfilling one’s itinerary requirements, you definitely need to think and plan about how you are going to find and engage your next piece of business.

Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and force yourself to get away for some quiet time. I can’t think of a better place to do this than on my annual training cruise, now in its fourth sailing: www.moreonseries.com/cruise-details

Think about it.

I am also reminded of another two questions that I hope you can connect with. “If not now… when? If not you… who?”

There is no better time to start thinking (and reflecting) on your next step than now. As Casey Stengel once said in his own entertaining fashion, “If my pitcher would pitch at the beginning of a game the same way he pitches at the end of the game once he realizes he is losing, he wouldn’t be losing in the first place.”

Interpretation: Start thinking and reflecting today to avoid disappointment tomorrow.


Mike presents a business-building webinar on the third Thursday of every month sponsored by AmaWaterways. To receive monthly invitations send Mike an email with the words “business training” in the Subject Box. You will also receive a link to the recorded version.

For information on Mike’s Fourth Annual Training Cruise, email Mike at mike@mikemarchev.com with the word “cruise” in the subject box.

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