The Five P’s: “Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.” is a quote by James Baker, former Secretary of State.
Performance is relative. There is performing to such a level as to be better than most. There is also performing at such a level that is intentional to drive you to be the best you can be. The “Five P’s” can help remind you that more preparation yields better results.
If I am candid, I didn’t pursue the “Five P’s” early in my life. I relied on what came naturally. I trusted in whatever I had going for me and nothing more. I spent life “winging” it and hoping that the results would be good enough.
The result: I was a decent athlete. My love of the games caused me to be better prepared because I devoted time to it. I didn’t prepare on purpose, but I experienced some success because of my passion for the game. I was prepared, but only because I loved it.
I was an average student. I tried to get by on as little effort as possible. I didn’t value my education. So, even though I was a reader and talked a good game, I was labeled an “underachiever.” I didn’t come close to harvesting my potential.
Fortunately, I had some experiences along the way that taught me to become more intent on preparing to perform as compared to just “winging” it.
Once I had a boss tell me that my tendency toward “winging” it and not preparing caused him to be cautious about the assignments I might get. It was a clear lesson to me that lack of preparation exposes the “holes” in my effort. I learned that if I was going to achieve my potential, I had to “prepare.”
Some of us are more disciplined than others. Most of us aren’t expert “preparers.” It takes a special will to fully prepare every time, and the people you know who do, really stand out.
