When Plans Meet Reality
- Dr Jenni McArthur
- Apr 8
- 2 min read
This week’s short "Note to Self" to keep your thinking on track…
Note to self: A plan is just a plan, and plans can change.
When confronted by imminent failure—you're about to "miss the boat", or circumstances prevent you from sticking perfectly to a timeline or strategy despite your best efforts—remember this: plans are merely plans. They are not commandments set in stone, but abstract predictions about how we might prefer things to unfold.
When we become fixated on plans, believing they are robust and precise, we often experience mounting stress as our context inevitably changes. This rigidity can blind us to valuable alternatives and opportunities.
The wisdom of remembering that plans are only plans—and that context can change at any moment—can support us through even the most shocking and unpredictable situations. This is not about abandoning planning altogether, but rather holding our plans with an open hand.
The ability to recognise that a plan isn't an immutable reality, and that adjustments may be necessary to stay on track with your larger goals, keeps you grounded. This flexibility helps you make effective decisions in volatile, unpredictable, complex and ambiguous situations. When you embrace adaptability, you transform potential setbacks into stepping stones.
Remember: a plan is just a plan, and plans can—and sometimes should—change.
Think about it...
Written in loving memory of Dr Neil Mort, my stepfather, who sadly passed last month. He told me that a "plan was just a plan" when I missed countless deadlines along my academic journey. I would not have reached my goals had it not have been for him.
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“A single new idea can make you radically different in many ways” - Albert Ellis
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