Ready For What May Come

Ready for What May Come

Wise people treasure knowledge, but the babbling of a fool invites disaster. Proverbs 10:14

I have always enjoyed watching college basketball, and listening to Bill Raftery broadcast games is a particular pleasure. His passion for coaches and players, as well as for the game itself, makes his commentary an enjoyable and entertaining play-by-play.

However, a recent article on Bill revealed a side of him that we don’t see during the broadcasts: his meticulous preparation. Now that I am in the broadcasting world myself, I’m not surprised at that aspect of Bill, but it was still interesting to learn about the extensive background research that goes into his job.

He watches hours of video each week, poring over previous games played by each of the teams he is covering. He talks to coaches and players and others around the sport, looking for insights on what teams and players will be doing during the game and why, their strengths and weaknesses, and their injury status.

And over 90 percent of all the information Bill gathers doesn’t get used.

That’s part of preparation, being ready for whatever may happen. It is applicable to coaching and business, as well. Rehearsing your answers, your play calls, your negotiating stances, knowing that some might be used, but most won’t. It’s not wasted time if it helps you prepare, for now or for the future. And it also provides a level of comfort knowing that no matter what comes up, you are ready to deal with it.

Of course, it has to be part of a larger balancing act in your life. Some coaches I know go too far preparing for any and every contingency, spending valuable practice time fine-tuning plays they don’t anticipate ever running. At the end of the day, however, it’s important not to cut your preparation short. Know that what you are learning now is part of a foundation that will help you in the long run.

Uncommon Key > So much of what people devote their time to is “urgent”—those fires they put out on any given day. Spend time preparing now for life—your job, your family, what you’d like your next job to be. Your effort won’t be wasted.