Prepare

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”

― Benjamin Franklin

We have had the value and necessity of planning drummed into our heads.  Clearly, having a plan, taking time to prepare, getting our goals defined are prerequisites to consistent success. Covey talks about sharpening the saw in his Seven Habits   I am a huge advocate of the vision work we each do in order to get a plan in place that has clearly defined outcomes and a set of actions that get us to the goal.

Now that I have a yoga practice, I see a new side of Prepare.  I hear the word in every class.  During the Sun Salutations as we move from a deep bend called Uttanasana into a somewhat strenuous series called a Vinyasa, we pause.  We Prepare.  We breathe in and get our alignment as we move from the pose of compression to the series of exertions.  We are active in our bodies, extending our spine and raising our gaze.  It is a mindful moment that combines focus and rest.  I’d like to bring more of that into my preparation.  Focus, Ease, Extension and Alignment.  I think the practice applies, even in the realm of projects and productivity.