Sunday, December 14, 2008

Law #29: Plan all the way to the end.

A plan is a systematic scheme made in advance for the future. Consequently, it’s also one of the greatest weapons of all time. Planning, on the other hand, is a skill that requires a lot of critical thinking to master. Experts on this can foresee the different possible circumstances that he might encounter in the future. Knowing so, he is able to make adjustments, solutions to prepare for his imminent jeopardy.

I remember watching the movie troy, the movie that portrays the classic battle between the Spartans and the Trojans. If the Spartans continued on with their reckless attacks on the city of Troy, then they would have definitely lost. Instead, they thought ahead. They made a plan so brilliant that it would be remembered throughout history. They faked a retreat by leaving a massive wooden horse in front of the gates as if signifying an acceptance of defeat. The cocky Trojans accepted it as their trophy, and celebrated their victory throughout the night. When the Trojans decided to call it a night, the Spartans then came out of the horse and slew the still sleeping Trojans. Eventually, everything worked flawlessly for the Spartans that the Trojans were not able to react immediately.

The common mistake, as the book says, that us individuals have is that we are too “imprisoned in the moment” that we end up not visualizing the probability of a greater dangers which might lie ahead. In addition, we also get excited at the present. We usually think that opportunities should not get away. Hence, once we give in to that vague opportunity, we let bigger ones slip away.

Sometimes pushing forward isn’t the best thing to do. We should just hold back for just a moment. Look what’s ahead of us. Plan every step we will make. Once everything’s in place, stick to the plan.

Lambino, Mikail H.
Histo 18 - L

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

planning all the way to the end, although so brilliant in its safety, is still not done by everyone. Most people actually like leaving things to chance. If they ever did make plans, they would only have 1 back up plan and not even 2. A disadvantage with sticking to the plan too much is not knowing how to think on your feet in case things don't go the way you plan and you're caught off surprise.

*Anyway, Mikail, i think you should change Spartans to Greeks in your post. Although the Spartans were one of those who fought against the Trojans, i just think that it would be more appropriate if the term Greeks was used to include everyone else who fought alongside the Spartans. =)

monica ang, L

Anonymous said...

It takes guts to acknowledge that chasing after what you want can take up the rest of your life. The emotional types who usually go for what they want neglect to plan for what comes after, and the less reckless types who think things through to the end tend to realize that grand plans eat away at your life and that living is more important that getting what you want. Not that that's a rule, I'm just speaking from experience here. It takes a special breed to carry something out to the end. But I think what this law is trying to point out is that you need to tie up loose ends. It's like crushing your opponent completely. Never leave things messy, because they'll come back to bite you. And always take the time to try to predict the effects of your actions, your loss or victory, to see if getting what you want is really worth the consequences. If you decide that it is, make sure you're equipped to deal with the consequences.
Dominique Du, L

Anonymous said...

after reading your blog, a famous saying entered my mind, "by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." when one plans, one prepares for the future. planning is very important because one is already picturing how the future will take place, what problems may arise, and what opportunities may come. in planning, one wants to be ready for what lies ahead so that when that time comes, that person will know how to handle the situation well.

i think that the example you gave is a perfect one. this demonstrates excellent planning. the spartans beat the trojans by means that the trojans certainly did not expect. the trojans actually thought that they have triumphed, but it only led to their downfall. by using the trojan horse, the spartans clearly showed how prepared they were.

people should not get stuck in the present because this can get in the way of planning ahead. while there is nothing wrong with enjoying the moment, one must simply not get caught in this for too long as he must continue to think about the future.

-Philip Albert T. Verde
Hi18 K

Anonymous said...

i think it is good to plan, but somewhere along the way, plans may be forced to change due to unexpected circumstances. so might as well be ready for that too :D


AnneAndreaLacson
Hi 18-K

Anonymous said...

Regarding what Anne said, i also think plans maybe forced to change one way or another.... but that's why i think this law says to play all the way to the end... all possibilities should be considered, and you have to plan what to do when possibility #1 or possibility #2 (or even all they way to possibility n) happens. so it really takes critical thinking. maybe the problem only lies in the fact the this is still just a plan. will it be perfectly carried out?

I think the example given was a good one as it shows how the spartans planned ahead while the trojans didn't. The trojans were "too imprisoned in the moment" and didn't think of the possibility that the spartans are merely bluffing.

Chris Macalinao
Hi18 -L

Anonymous said...

i believe in the power of planning. it gives you an edge over the situation. you can prepare ahead, oversee the possible pitfalls, and make remedies. But i think in planning, it's important to have back-ups. I don't believe that there is such a thing as the perfect plan. plans concern the future, and the future is always uncertain.

Kriska Rivadillo
Hi18 K

Unknown said...

Plans are good but there are just so many variables to account for in reality. I have had some experience of setting up some plans only to have some extraneous variable ruin it all. A plan could be the backbone to our actions but we should always remember that deviations WILL happen. Well, having a plan is better than having none at all. (Although sometimes its more fun to go without a plan)

Denis Flores
Hi 18K

Anonymous said...

I believe the planning being referred here is the simple act of keeping an open mind. Only through constant adaption can one be truly prepared for anything - the simplest of acts leading to either victory or failure. Just as the stiff tree will surely break in a great storm, so shall the stubborn suffer in a bitter haze of defeat. Just as a bird learns to ride with the wind, so too shall an open-minded man be prepared for anything.

-Filbert Tan
Hi18-K

Anonymous said...

Although I am at the same page with the implication of the law, I also agree with Kriska when she said that there is no such thing as a perfect plan and that it's important to have back-ups. Since unpredictability is emphasized in a lot of laws, I might as well relate it to this law.

You must always be cautious of your opponent's abilities and motives. For all you know, he might be a pro in the area of deceit and he might just acquire the said aura of volatility. So just be prepared with various possible plans with a unifying end goal-- that is, to slay your enemy.

Monica Copuyoc
Hi18- L

Anonymous said...

Planning ahead is important but you still must be accommodating to changes. Being flexible will get you through anything. Focusing on rigidly on the plan will make you move blindly on and you’ll never know what you’ll crash into. I say, plan but still be susceptible to change and be open to revisions in the plan.

But I agree with Denis on his last note, sometimes, going with the flow is just the trick.

Mara Liboro
Hi18-K

Anonymous said...

A plan should not constrain you from innovating and adapting change. Change is permanent and inevitable. Nothing is complete by itself. A plan is not complete in itself. Certain things may arise unexpectedly that may require you to change course. You should not hinder yourelf from bouncing off your plan. A plan is only a guide and not a matter of jurisdiction that you can't alter.

Rhea Entuna
section L

Gliza Marasigan said...

One can't deny the importance of planning in any form of activity. Those who go into war without thinking or planning ahead of time are bound to lose, for having overlooked heaps of instances, situations and tactics (of theirs and of their enemy's). Planning, however, is no simple thing because you have to take into consideration the events, objects and people that may interfere with your plans and such might hinder your quest for victory.

Planning all the way to the end is nearly impossible, because too many factors should be given attention. Maybe what you could do is be prepared with Plans A - E for every situation and develop your course of action as you go along. One can't predict what will happen with certainty and pondering too much in all these factors would result in too much time wasted.

Gliza Marasigan
Hi18-L

Anonymous said...

This point is good enough to be basic. I thought of flowcharting when I read this post--an answer for every application and different options to choose different outcomes--and I hope this is a practice used by leaders in modern times to organize their plans and be prepared for anything.

Peep Warren
Hi18-L

krizia said...

No doubt, it's better to be safe than sorry.
History's great conquerors always had a plan. I don't think they just simply said, "Hey, I think we should attack Zimbabwe.. now!" I'm sure months and months of preparation was done. Every decision was not impulsively made without thinking about the pros and cons of the situation. In fact, if possible one should even consider making plan B as well. That's how real planning should be done. Like i said, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Krizia Javate
Hi18K

Anonymous said...

I can very much relate to this law. This is like having a goal and putting up all the steps in order to achieve such goal. The problem is if something happens along the way and sabotages the whole plan. I think it is important to have a back-up plan in order to set stability for the future. I don't think that it's a mistake for people to get excited with the moment. However, I think that there should at least be minor plans to be set up. The uncertainty of the future is scary and somehow if one plans ahead then in a way he gets to envision what will turn out wrong and what the possibilities are.

Czarina Kathryne Masagca
Hi18-L

Anonymous said...

THIS LAW SHOULD ALWAYS ALWAYS BE FIRST IN YOUR MIND WHEN YOU MAKE ANY EVIL PLAN. Ask yourself if you can follow through till the end, otherwise, don't bother starting, because you can't leave ends loose. you just can't.
You will find at this site the 152 Rules for Being an Evil Overlord: http://quoll.uwaterloo.ca/mine/overlord.html
Each one (or at least a lot) of them is an illustration of what happens when you don't follow through and/or don't plan TO THE LETTER. or when you get so used to being a villain that you get sloppy.
ex: "24. I will maintain a realistic assessment of my strengths and weaknesses. Even though this takes some of the fun out of the job, at least I will never utter the line "No, this cannot be! I AM INVINCIBLE!!!" (After that, death is usually instantaneous.)" and "107. Even though I don't really care because I plan on living forever, I will hire engineers who are able to build me a fortress sturdy enough that, if I am slain, it won't tumble to the ground for no good structural reason."
NEVER FORGET YOUR MAIN OBJECTIVE. NEVER STOP UNTIL YOU'RE DONE. IT AIN'T OVER TIL IT'S OVER. and while you're at it, plan to the last detail too.

Nikka Du, L

Anonymous said...

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Anonymous said...

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