As you know, I am all about planning. I believe you absolutely must have a plan for your business, and more specifically a marketing plan. But sometimes, even the best laid plans don't bring us the results we think they should. So while it's important to create a plan, and to take steps everyday to execute that plan, you simply can't be attached to the outcome.
This lesson was thrust in my face two times over the past few weeks. Reaffirming my belief in planning, but also trusting in the Universe. Today I'm sharing one of these lessons.
Over spring break we travelled to Las Vegas for a high school softball tournament with our 17-year-old daughter Brianna. She started off the three-day tournament with a bang, earning the nickname "big hitter." Then, on the night before the semifinal and championship games, she became extremely sick, and was unable to play on the final day of the tournament.
Her coach and team rallied around her and said, "We've got to win for Brianna, our big hitter," and they pulled together and scored 10 runs in the first inning of the semifinal game. They won that game, but ultimately lost the final game, and took second place in the tournament.
After the tournament, the team and coach circled around sick Brianna on her blanket under a tree, for their team recap. And the coach presented Bri with the team's second place trophy.
Even though Brianna was disappointed she couldn't play in the final games, I told her later I felt the outcome of the day served her better than playing that day ever could have. You see, even though Bri is a great softball player she still felt like she had to prove herself to her coach and team. The response by her team and coach when they knew they had to play without her, and the coach's honoring her with the team trophy showed her she is an important part of the team. This is a lesson she needed to learn. And it's a great example that even when things don't turn out they way we expect, they usually turn out to serve us better.
Tomorrow I'll share a client's story about how her marketing is opening unexpected doors.