September 12, 2025 • 29 mins
Welcome to “Inspirations for Your Life,” where thoughtful planning sets the stage for real achievement. I’m John C. Morley—Serial Entrepreneur, Engineer, Marketing Specialist, Video Producer, Podcast Host, Podcast Coach, and passionate lifelong learner. This episode is about one powerful truth: when you plan before acting, you transform wishes into wins. Here’s what that means, point by point.
A plan turns dreams into actionEvery powerful change begins as a dream, but it’s the careful act of planning that gives those dreams direction and life. Whether building a business, launching a project, or improving yourself, planning provides the firm steps that turn imagination into accomplishment.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:25):
Well, hey guys, it is John C.
Morley here, serial entrepreneur.
It is great to be with you on
Inspirations for Your Life.
Thanks so much for joining me.
It is September 11, 2025.
Normally, I would have a moment of silence.
You can't have dead air on a podcast
(00:45):
or a radio show or TV show.
But know that I am basically thinking about
all those people that have lost their lives,
their families, and their friends right now as
9-11.
How many years was 9-11?
Well, 9-11 happened on September 11, 2001.
(01:10):
It's 24 years since the attack.
And again, my heart and prayers go out
to all the people's families that have lost
their lives.
Also, a special out there to Charlie, who
recently lost his life.
(01:31):
So, a very big shout out to his
family.
For everything he's done, you know, unfortunately, what
happened the other day was not really right.
But again, a big shout out to Charlie
(01:52):
Kirk's family, a 31-year-old conservative activist
and head of Turning Point USA.
Again, I'm not political one way or the
other, but no way should anyone's life be
taken out, regardless of a viewpoint or not.
All right, so I do want to thank
you for joining me.
(02:12):
Our Master Topic for the week, guys, is
a really, really good Master Topic in case
you guys didn't catch it.
It's the mind shifts that change everything, okay?
And that's really important, guys.
By the way, if you're thirsty, I don't
want you to be parched.
Feel free to go get yourself some RO
water like I have here.
(02:34):
Feel free to get some water.
Feel free to get yourself a snack, fruit.
Whatever you like, sweet or tart, that's totally
up to you.
Don't forget to check out BelieveMeAchieved.com, ladies
and gentlemen, for more of my amazing, of
course, inspiring creations, which you can do at
(02:54):
BelieveMeAchieved.com after the show is over, that
is, okay, everyone?
So our granular topic for today or this
evening, September 11th, is what I think that
really drives a point home.
And that is Plan Before Acting, series four,
(03:15):
show 37, episode number six.
So let's kick this show off, everyone.
Again, welcome, whether you're here the first time
or whether you're coming back many times, I
definitely want to welcome you here, all right,
everyone?
So definitely a very, very big welcome.
And so, as I said, welcome to Inspirations
(03:36):
for Your Life, where thoughtful planning sets the
stage for real achievement.
Oh, who am I?
I'm John C.
Morley, serial entrepreneur.
I'm an engineer, marketing specialist, a video producer,
podcast host, podcast coach, and, of course, a
passionate lifelong learner.
(03:57):
This episode is all about one powerful truth.
When you plan before acting, you transform wishes
into wins.
Here is what that means point by point.
A plan turns dreams into action.
Every powerful change, well, begins as a dream,
(04:18):
but it's the careful act of planning that
gives those dreams direction and life.
Whether you're building a business, launching a project,
or improving yourself, planning provides the firm steps
that turn imagination into accomplishment.
(04:40):
Preparation prevents wasted effort, guys.
When you invest time up front to prepare,
you draw a map that avoids detours and
dead ends.
So preparation streamlines your path and minimizes obstacles,
(05:00):
saving you from, well, repeating tasks or squandering
resources along the way.
And I think sometimes people get caught up
with, you know, doing something, but then they
do it anyway because their friends are doing
it or something else like that, right?
But it might not necessarily be the right
(05:21):
thing to do.
Our next point, think it through.
Before you dive in, pausing to think critically
about your next move prevents reckless decisions and
regret.
You know, maybe there's a feeling you have
(05:44):
or something that you want to say to
somebody, but, you know, if you just take
a deep breath and maybe count to 10,
you might realize that, you know, I don't
think I really should say that.
And then those are important things, guys.
So before you, let's say, jump, take time
(06:06):
to foresee challenges, anticipate the needs, and explore
alternate routes.
You'll arrive at better results with fewer surprises.
And I think a lot of people, well,
they push that impulsive button, right?
The button that says, you know, we have
to do everything now.
And if we don't do it this way,
well, then that's going to be a big
(06:26):
problem for us.
But I want to tell you that impulsiveness
kills things.
It really, really does.
I mean, I just want to be honest
with you about that.
Quick moves, guys, without a map, cost more
acting, fast, feeling productive.
(06:46):
But without direction, it usually means a missed
set of details and lost opportunity.
So a good map, that is your plan,
ensures that speed doesn't become, well, you're undoing.
Because you know every step and why you're
(07:07):
taking it.
Our next point, strategy, ladies and gentlemen.
Strategy, strategy, strategy.
It beats spur of the moment, right?
The spontaneous things, right?
Lasting success is rarely accidental.
(07:27):
While quick improvisations have a place, strategic plans
shape outcomes.
They keep you focused under pressure and lead
to reliable results you can build upon.
I think a lot of people, they just
(07:50):
want to do whatever.
But they don't realize how that can impact
somebody.
Either positively or negatively.
Whether that be yourself or whether that be
someone else.
So I think if we could just sit
back and say, wait a minute.
Did I really mean to say this?
(08:10):
Do I really want to say this?
Or am I just acting because of my
frustration?
Am I acting because of my disappointment?
We've all had these situations, you know.
Buyers remorse, etc.
But when you sit back and you say,
wait a minute.
You know what, I don't really mean to
say that.
(08:31):
Or I don't really mean to do that.
I'm just a little bit upset.
Or some people might be angry.
But there's no reason in getting angry, right?
Don't sweat the small stuff.
Because life is all small, small stuff.
Planning, guys.
Planning today means fewer regrets tomorrow.
(08:52):
Fewer regrets.
I didn't say zero regrets.
I said fewer regrets.
I think when we can curtail a regret
into something else, that's very, very powerful, guys.
I mean extremely, extremely powerful.
But you might be saying, John, like, how
(09:14):
is this possible?
And I'll tell you the way it's possible.
Because when we look at something a certain
way.
And we think about the perspective.
And we see how something is shaped or
how something is formed.
We immediately decide to react.
(09:37):
But this is why it's important to sit
back and not react impulsively.
I think those are important things.
Thoughtful planning, guys, isn't about being slow.
It's about future-proofing every choice.
Do you do that?
(09:59):
Do you think before you act?
Do you future-proof things?
Or do you just kind of just play
52-card pickup?
You know, you take the cards.
You just kind of like just let them
go.
And then it's like, oh, 52-card pickup.
I remember a friend of mine many years
ago saying to me, John, you ever play
52-pickup?
And I'm like, no, what's that?
(10:19):
He's like, oh, let me show you.
Takes the cards, and he just holds that.
And I go, oh, we got 52 cards
in the ground.
Now you got to go pick them up.
Instead of just telling me, hey, John, it's
when somebody takes.
That was like a bad way to do
that if you ask me.
But, you know, it's one of those things,
right?
You live and learn.
So by thinking ahead, you actually minimize moments
(10:44):
you wish you could redo and maximize the
satisfaction you feel with every step taken.
So once something, somebody once told me this,
leaves the lips, right?
They can't be taken back.
You can ask for apologies and things like
that.
You can beg to apologize.
But once something leaves your lips, that impression
(11:08):
is made.
And that regret, that remorse you're feeling, it's
not going to be easy to overcome that.
You can't just stuff that back in a
bag.
The impression that people get from you over
that is going to come out.
There's not much you can do about it.
(11:31):
Ladies and gentlemen, I want to encourage you
this.
Don't rush.
Come up with your vision.
Then move.
And rushing ahead without a clear destination will
only lead to frustration.
A lot of people say, you know, you
just need to get going.
I hear you.
(11:52):
And I understand that's motivating.
But in the same breath, it's not.
If I tell you to just get going
and you don't know which direction or what,
you're, like, going to be lost, right?
If you're suddenly on a path to, let's
say, get to a restaurant, for example, and
I tell you, get going, but you don't
(12:13):
even think about where you're going.
You just go this way, and that way
is the wrong way.
It's the opposite way.
So you've got to think before you act.
You've got to think before you execute.
You've got to think before you do.
Now, I know a lot of people say,
John, you know, we don't have time to
(12:33):
think before we do.
Yes, you do have time to think.
It's the ones that act in haste that
will have regret.
When you craft a clear vision first and
then choose to act, every move feels driven
(12:56):
by a purpose rather than by a pressure
of urgency.
I think there's a lot of times when
we hear urgency, right?
There's urgency sometimes put in sales, and I
think that's a bad thing when people do
that.
There's urgency put maybe it's a relationship thing,
and there's an urgency put on that.
(13:16):
Maybe there's an urgency when somebody asks you
to volunteer.
There's these urgencies, but the truth of the
matter is they're really just underpinning you.
They are manipulating you in a very creative
package, one that you probably didn't anticipate.
But now that you know how it works,
(13:38):
you're probably going to be a little more,
well, let's say, wise the next time.
Action, guys, without direction leads nowhere fast, right?
Go somewhere.
Which way?
I don't know.
Which way am I supposed to go?
Working hard counts, but working smart counts more.
(13:59):
Let me say that again.
Working hard counts, but working smart counts much
more.
When your effort aligns with your true core
purpose, that progress will speed up like that.
(14:19):
Without direction, all your energy can leave you
spinning in place, and you'll be like, what
am I supposed to do?
Where do I go?
And this is when we get that conundrum
of frustration of sometimes feeling overwhelmed.
The overwhelming feeling happens just because we're like,
(14:41):
well, what do I do first?
I have my list, or I don't even
have a list.
What do I do?
Like, where do I go?
Where do I start?
We've had those moments, and we have to
regroup, and we have to think about how
we're going to proceed.
I think those are important things to understand.
Smart plans, guys, create smart outcomes.
(15:05):
Hmm.
Smart plans create smart outcomes.
Smart plans create smart outcomes.
(15:28):
Smart plans create smart outcomes.
Interesting, right?
(15:52):
Interesting, guys, right?
Very interesting.
We have to think about it.
I think sometimes we just get caught off
guard.
(16:12):
And by getting caught off guard, it's like
we don't know what to do next, right?
We don't know what to do.
And by not knowing what to do, it's
like we don't have a direction.
We don't have a purpose.
(16:35):
And all this can just kind of like
come down on us at one moment.
Smart plans create smart outcomes.
So what is a smart plan?
Great question.
A smart plan is one in which we
put some thought into it, some logic into
(16:57):
it.
We've figured out what we need to do.
We've also thought about if this doesn't work,
what do we do instead?
What's our plan B?
What's even our plan C if we've gotten
that far?
Smart plans create smart outcomes.
I'm going to give you an example.
If you have not taken the opportunity to
(17:18):
create an evacuation plan at your home, I
encourage you to do this right now.
Well, after the show, that is, or at
least by tomorrow.
So how to create a fire safety evacuation
plan.
(17:39):
It's not hard, guys.
To do it, you basically have to map
out two escape routes from every room, identify
a safe outdoor meeting place, and practice your
plan regularly with everyone in the household.
How do you do it?
(18:01):
You draw a floor plan.
You map two ways out.
You choose an assembly point where everyone's going
to come together.
You account for vulnerable individuals.
Plan for anyone who may need additional assistance,
elderly people, et cetera, or those under special
care.
Check your smoke alarms and the exits.
Make sure your smoke detectors are in working
(18:23):
order and that all escape routes are clear
of obstacles and furniture.
Ensure windows and doors open easily and have
working latches.
It's a good thing to do at least
every quarter.
Practice the plan.
Have a backup plan if something deters you
from the way you want to get out.
Keep your plan visible.
(18:45):
Make sure not only does your household know,
but any guests that happen to visit you
that they know the safe way out.
It's a great thing to do.
When you go to visit a hotel, right,
they have that smart plan right on the
door.
You hope you're never going to use it,
but if you spend a minute or two,
you want to know how to get out,
right?
It makes sense.
(19:05):
So success isn't just harder work.
It's a better design.
I think many people think that they've got
to work hard to be successful.
No, you've got to work smarter to be
successful.
A lot of people don't understand that.
We were taught from generations in the past
(19:26):
that you've got to work hard.
You've got to be a busy bee.
You've got to keep working feverishly, right, or
feverishly.
And if you're taking a break, well, then
you shouldn't be taking a break.
You should be working nine to five or
24 hours a day.
No, that's the wrong, wrong teaching.
Planning with your head and your heart ensures
(19:49):
that the work you put in leads to
outcomes that match your true ambitions.
That's important, guys.
I mean, really, really important.
Pause and maybe plot before you leap.
(20:10):
Even just a moment's pause to plot.
Your next step brings clarity.
We talked about the importance of the fire
plan, right?
If you go to a hotel, you hopefully
review their evacuation plan.
I remember going to, I think it was
Kansas City.
(20:31):
Kansas City has basically a, what do they
call that?
It has a brief demo to explain to
everyone what a fallout shelter is.
(20:58):
Yeah, so I remember staying there, and I
remember them telling me that I needed to
go to this brief little seminar.
It was like maybe 20 or 30 minutes.
And I didn't have a chance.
I just checked in.
They said, well, you can go tomorrow.
It's fine.
So the next day came, and you had
(21:20):
to attend it before you went to sleep
the next day.
So I came in from a client that
I was at, came in.
They said, oh, we're doing a seminar.
It's starting in just five minutes.
You can go in right now.
So I went in, and they went over
all the things about the elevators, how elevators
would be put out of use, what a
fallout shelter is, and how do you stay
(21:43):
safe?
So that's a good question.
What is a fallout shelter?
In like a tornado?
That's probably a good one to explain, right?
A fallout shelter and tornado is a confusing
phrase.
Shelters protects against, they call it, nuclear events,
while tornado shelters protect against high winds and
(22:04):
debris.
They sometimes call it a fallout shelter, but
really, that's not what this is.
Fallout shelters are just nuclear, but tornado shelters
protect against high winds and debris.
But a well-built underground shelter designed for
nuclear fall could offer protection in a tornado
as well, though it wouldn't be as well
(22:25):
put together for its primary design purpose.
Many underground storm or safe rooms are also
equipped with NBC filtration for modern nuclear biological
protection, creating a versatile disaster shelter.
So you might be asking, and it's a
very, very good question, what is NBC filtering?
(22:48):
So it stands for nuclear biological chemical filtering,
referring to air filtration systems designed to remove
dangerous contaminants like radioactive particles, biological agents, and
chemical warfare agents from the air.
That's NBC.
It's not network broadcasting channel.
It's nuclear biological chemical filtering.
(23:10):
And these systems typically combine a HEPA filter
for solid particles and activated carbon for gas
vapors, creating an over-pressurized environment in the
protected space to prevent contaminated air from entering.
So pretty interesting, right?
But again, systems like this don't just work
by magic.
(23:32):
You have to do some planning.
So the little gaps we talk about between
impulse and action is where mistakes are often
caught and breakthroughs are born.
We don't always learn the right way to
do something until we've done it the wrong
way or until we've had a chance to
(23:52):
brainstorm about it.
Success loves a solid blueprint.
No great building stands without a blueprint.
No great building.
The same, guys, is true for any success.
Big wins are born from small details mapped
out ahead of time.
(24:14):
Guys, blueprint your journey and watch solid results
appear before your eyes.
A lot of people say, you know what,
John?
I'm just going to wing it.
A lot of people still do that.
And winging it rarely wins.
Planning wins big time.
(24:36):
Sometimes you have to improvise, but the big
victories, they go to those who map their
path.
Careful planning brings consistency, growth, and confidence to
every pursuit.
I think a lot of people don't want
to plan because they're like, oh, I don't
need to do that.
I know how to do that.
It's very easy to get out of the
(24:56):
building.
Okay, but have you done it?
No, but I know how to do it.
Maybe the door is stuck.
Maybe there's something else you didn't think of,
but you wouldn't know it unless you practiced
it.
You know, guys, great ideas need the fuel
of structure.
(25:17):
Ideas alone don't change the world.
Action rooted in structure does.
So that means we need to be planning
if we want to be successful.
Planning gives creative sparks the fuel and stability
they need to become lasting results to make
(25:38):
positive improvements.
You know, I once learned from somebody, when
we talk about planning, when you don't plan,
okay, when you have failed to plan, then
you have planned to fail.
Let me say that again.
When you have failed to plan, you plan
to fail.
When you failed to plan, you have basically
(26:02):
planned to fail.
Map the goal, guys, before chasing it.
A clear destination transforms effort into results.
Knowing your end goal lights the path, measures
your progress, and keeps your motivation alive high
(26:25):
even when, well, you may stumble.
Planning saves time and trouble later, and few
things pay for themselves as richly as planning
does.
Small investments in planning now sidestep huge problems
and frustrations later, turning time into your greatest
(26:45):
ally.
Every champion starts with a plan.
Winners in every field, sports, business, art, it
didn't get there by chance, guys.
Their secret was simple.
They planned.
The work.
(27:05):
They worked the plan and adjusted as needed
along the way.
Measure twice, guys, and act once.
Taking the time to double-check your effort
pays off.
My grandfather always said, measure once, measure twice,
cut once.
(27:26):
Careful attention before acting avoids costly errors, giving
you a reputation for excellence and dependability.
Now, wouldn't you want to be seen as
dependable?
Plans are the seeds of progress.
Planting a plan is the first step toward
growth.
Just as a seed becomes a tree, every
(27:48):
meaningful outcome has roots in the planning that
came before it.
Intentional action creates lasting impact.
Acting with intent ensures your results don't just
solve today's problems.
They set you and others, well, up for
success.
(28:08):
Purpose and preparation make your actions matter for
years to come.
The best results come from a prepared mind.
Great performers, no matter the field, excel because
they are always ready.
Guys, I hope you've enjoyed this show.
And do check out BelieveMeAchieved.com for more
of my amazing and, of course, inspiring creations.
(28:30):
And remember, always plan.
Because if you don't, you've actually planned to
fail.
Have a great one, everyone.
Well, hey guys, it is John C.
Morley here, serial entrepreneur.
It is great to be with you on
Inspirations for Your Life.
Thanks so much for joining me.
It is September 11, 2025.
Normally, I would have a moment of silence.
You can't have dead air on a podcast
(00:45):
or a radio show or TV show.
But know that I am basically thinking about
all those people that have lost their lives,
their families, and their friends right now as
9-11.
How many years was 9-11?
Well, 9-11 happened on September 11, 2001.
(01:10):
It's 24 years since the attack.
And again, my heart and prayers go out
to all the people's families that have lost
their lives.
Also, a special out there to Charlie, who
recently lost his life.
(01:31):
So, a very big shout out to his
family.
For everything he's done, you know, unfortunately, what
happened the other day was not really right.
But again, a big shout out to Charlie
(01:52):
Kirk's family, a 31-year-old conservative activist
and head of Turning Point USA.
Again, I'm not political one way or the
other, but no way should anyone's life be
taken out, regardless of a viewpoint or not.
All right, so I do want to thank
you for joining me.
(02:12):
Our Master Topic for the week, guys, is
a really, really good Master Topic in case
you guys didn't catch it.
It's the mind shifts that change everything, okay?
And that's really important, guys.
By the way, if you're thirsty, I don't
want you to be parched.
Feel free to go get yourself some RO
water like I have here.
(02:34):
Feel free to get some water.
Feel free to get yourself a snack, fruit.
Whatever you like, sweet or tart, that's totally
up to you.
Don't forget to check out BelieveMeAchieved.com, ladies
and gentlemen, for more of my amazing, of
course, inspiring creations, which you can do at
(02:54):
BelieveMeAchieved.com after the show is over, that
is, okay, everyone?
So our granular topic for today or this
evening, September 11th, is what I think that
really drives a point home.
And that is Plan Before Acting, series four,
(03:15):
show 37, episode number six.
So let's kick this show off, everyone.
Again, welcome, whether you're here the first time
or whether you're coming back many times, I
definitely want to welcome you here, all right,
everyone?
So definitely a very, very big welcome.
And so, as I said, welcome to Inspirations
(03:36):
for Your Life, where thoughtful planning sets the
stage for real achievement.
Oh, who am I?
I'm John C.
Morley, serial entrepreneur.
I'm an engineer, marketing specialist, a video producer,
podcast host, podcast coach, and, of course, a
passionate lifelong learner.
(03:57):
This episode is all about one powerful truth.
When you plan before acting, you transform wishes
into wins.
Here is what that means point by point.
A plan turns dreams into action.
Every powerful change, well, begins as a dream,
(04:18):
but it's the careful act of planning that
gives those dreams direction and life.
Whether you're building a business, launching a project,
or improving yourself, planning provides the firm steps
that turn imagination into accomplishment.
(04:40):
Preparation prevents wasted effort, guys.
When you invest time up front to prepare,
you draw a map that avoids detours and
dead ends.
So preparation streamlines your path and minimizes obstacles,
(05:00):
saving you from, well, repeating tasks or squandering
resources along the way.
And I think sometimes people get caught up
with, you know, doing something, but then they
do it anyway because their friends are doing
it or something else like that, right?
But it might not necessarily be the right
(05:21):
thing to do.
Our next point, think it through.
Before you dive in, pausing to think critically
about your next move prevents reckless decisions and
regret.
You know, maybe there's a feeling you have
(05:44):
or something that you want to say to
somebody, but, you know, if you just take
a deep breath and maybe count to 10,
you might realize that, you know, I don't
think I really should say that.
And then those are important things, guys.
So before you, let's say, jump, take time
(06:06):
to foresee challenges, anticipate the needs, and explore
alternate routes.
You'll arrive at better results with fewer surprises.
And I think a lot of people, well,
they push that impulsive button, right?
The button that says, you know, we have
to do everything now.
And if we don't do it this way,
well, then that's going to be a big
(06:26):
problem for us.
But I want to tell you that impulsiveness
kills things.
It really, really does.
I mean, I just want to be honest
with you about that.
Quick moves, guys, without a map, cost more
acting, fast, feeling productive.
(06:46):
But without direction, it usually means a missed
set of details and lost opportunity.
So a good map, that is your plan,
ensures that speed doesn't become, well, you're undoing.
Because you know every step and why you're
(07:07):
taking it.
Our next point, strategy, ladies and gentlemen.
Strategy, strategy, strategy.
It beats spur of the moment, right?
The spontaneous things, right?
Lasting success is rarely accidental.
(07:27):
While quick improvisations have a place, strategic plans
shape outcomes.
They keep you focused under pressure and lead
to reliable results you can build upon.
I think a lot of people, they just
(07:50):
want to do whatever.
But they don't realize how that can impact
somebody.
Either positively or negatively.
Whether that be yourself or whether that be
someone else.
So I think if we could just sit
back and say, wait a minute.
Did I really mean to say this?
(08:10):
Do I really want to say this?
Or am I just acting because of my
frustration?
Am I acting because of my disappointment?
We've all had these situations, you know.
Buyers remorse, etc.
But when you sit back and you say,
wait a minute.
You know what, I don't really mean to
say that.
(08:31):
Or I don't really mean to do that.
I'm just a little bit upset.
Or some people might be angry.
But there's no reason in getting angry, right?
Don't sweat the small stuff.
Because life is all small, small stuff.
Planning, guys.
Planning today means fewer regrets tomorrow.
(08:52):
Fewer regrets.
I didn't say zero regrets.
I said fewer regrets.
I think when we can curtail a regret
into something else, that's very, very powerful, guys.
I mean extremely, extremely powerful.
But you might be saying, John, like, how
(09:14):
is this possible?
And I'll tell you the way it's possible.
Because when we look at something a certain
way.
And we think about the perspective.
And we see how something is shaped or
how something is formed.
We immediately decide to react.
(09:37):
But this is why it's important to sit
back and not react impulsively.
I think those are important things.
Thoughtful planning, guys, isn't about being slow.
It's about future-proofing every choice.
Do you do that?
(09:59):
Do you think before you act?
Do you future-proof things?
Or do you just kind of just play
52-card pickup?
You know, you take the cards.
You just kind of like just let them
go.
And then it's like, oh, 52-card pickup.
I remember a friend of mine many years
ago saying to me, John, you ever play
52-pickup?
And I'm like, no, what's that?
(10:19):
He's like, oh, let me show you.
Takes the cards, and he just holds that.
And I go, oh, we got 52 cards
in the ground.
Now you got to go pick them up.
Instead of just telling me, hey, John, it's
when somebody takes.
That was like a bad way to do
that if you ask me.
But, you know, it's one of those things,
right?
You live and learn.
So by thinking ahead, you actually minimize moments
(10:44):
you wish you could redo and maximize the
satisfaction you feel with every step taken.
So once something, somebody once told me this,
leaves the lips, right?
They can't be taken back.
You can ask for apologies and things like
that.
You can beg to apologize.
But once something leaves your lips, that impression
(11:08):
is made.
And that regret, that remorse you're feeling, it's
not going to be easy to overcome that.
You can't just stuff that back in a
bag.
The impression that people get from you over
that is going to come out.
There's not much you can do about it.
(11:31):
Ladies and gentlemen, I want to encourage you
this.
Don't rush.
Come up with your vision.
Then move.
And rushing ahead without a clear destination will
only lead to frustration.
A lot of people say, you know, you
just need to get going.
I hear you.
(11:52):
And I understand that's motivating.
But in the same breath, it's not.
If I tell you to just get going
and you don't know which direction or what,
you're, like, going to be lost, right?
If you're suddenly on a path to, let's
say, get to a restaurant, for example, and
I tell you, get going, but you don't
(12:13):
even think about where you're going.
You just go this way, and that way
is the wrong way.
It's the opposite way.
So you've got to think before you act.
You've got to think before you execute.
You've got to think before you do.
Now, I know a lot of people say,
John, you know, we don't have time to
(12:33):
think before we do.
Yes, you do have time to think.
It's the ones that act in haste that
will have regret.
When you craft a clear vision first and
then choose to act, every move feels driven
(12:56):
by a purpose rather than by a pressure
of urgency.
I think there's a lot of times when
we hear urgency, right?
There's urgency sometimes put in sales, and I
think that's a bad thing when people do
that.
There's urgency put maybe it's a relationship thing,
and there's an urgency put on that.
(13:16):
Maybe there's an urgency when somebody asks you
to volunteer.
There's these urgencies, but the truth of the
matter is they're really just underpinning you.
They are manipulating you in a very creative
package, one that you probably didn't anticipate.
But now that you know how it works,
(13:38):
you're probably going to be a little more,
well, let's say, wise the next time.
Action, guys, without direction leads nowhere fast, right?
Go somewhere.
Which way?
I don't know.
Which way am I supposed to go?
Working hard counts, but working smart counts more.
(13:59):
Let me say that again.
Working hard counts, but working smart counts much
more.
When your effort aligns with your true core
purpose, that progress will speed up like that.
(14:19):
Without direction, all your energy can leave you
spinning in place, and you'll be like, what
am I supposed to do?
Where do I go?
And this is when we get that conundrum
of frustration of sometimes feeling overwhelmed.
The overwhelming feeling happens just because we're like,
(14:41):
well, what do I do first?
I have my list, or I don't even
have a list.
What do I do?
Like, where do I go?
Where do I start?
We've had those moments, and we have to
regroup, and we have to think about how
we're going to proceed.
I think those are important things to understand.
Smart plans, guys, create smart outcomes.
(15:05):
Hmm.
Smart plans create smart outcomes.
Smart plans create smart outcomes.
(15:28):
Smart plans create smart outcomes.
Interesting, right?
(15:52):
Interesting, guys, right?
Very interesting.
We have to think about it.
I think sometimes we just get caught off
guard.
(16:12):
And by getting caught off guard, it's like
we don't know what to do next, right?
We don't know what to do.
And by not knowing what to do, it's
like we don't have a direction.
We don't have a purpose.
(16:35):
And all this can just kind of like
come down on us at one moment.
Smart plans create smart outcomes.
So what is a smart plan?
Great question.
A smart plan is one in which we
put some thought into it, some logic into
(16:57):
it.
We've figured out what we need to do.
We've also thought about if this doesn't work,
what do we do instead?
What's our plan B?
What's even our plan C if we've gotten
that far?
Smart plans create smart outcomes.
I'm going to give you an example.
If you have not taken the opportunity to
(17:18):
create an evacuation plan at your home, I
encourage you to do this right now.
Well, after the show, that is, or at
least by tomorrow.
So how to create a fire safety evacuation
plan.
(17:39):
It's not hard, guys.
To do it, you basically have to map
out two escape routes from every room, identify
a safe outdoor meeting place, and practice your
plan regularly with everyone in the household.
How do you do it?
(18:01):
You draw a floor plan.
You map two ways out.
You choose an assembly point where everyone's going
to come together.
You account for vulnerable individuals.
Plan for anyone who may need additional assistance,
elderly people, et cetera, or those under special
care.
Check your smoke alarms and the exits.
Make sure your smoke detectors are in working
(18:23):
order and that all escape routes are clear
of obstacles and furniture.
Ensure windows and doors open easily and have
working latches.
It's a good thing to do at least
every quarter.
Practice the plan.
Have a backup plan if something deters you
from the way you want to get out.
Keep your plan visible.
(18:45):
Make sure not only does your household know,
but any guests that happen to visit you
that they know the safe way out.
It's a great thing to do.
When you go to visit a hotel, right,
they have that smart plan right on the
door.
You hope you're never going to use it,
but if you spend a minute or two,
you want to know how to get out,
right?
It makes sense.
(19:05):
So success isn't just harder work.
It's a better design.
I think many people think that they've got
to work hard to be successful.
No, you've got to work smarter to be
successful.
A lot of people don't understand that.
We were taught from generations in the past
(19:26):
that you've got to work hard.
You've got to be a busy bee.
You've got to keep working feverishly, right, or
feverishly.
And if you're taking a break, well, then
you shouldn't be taking a break.
You should be working nine to five or
24 hours a day.
No, that's the wrong, wrong teaching.
Planning with your head and your heart ensures
(19:49):
that the work you put in leads to
outcomes that match your true ambitions.
That's important, guys.
I mean, really, really important.
Pause and maybe plot before you leap.
(20:10):
Even just a moment's pause to plot.
Your next step brings clarity.
We talked about the importance of the fire
plan, right?
If you go to a hotel, you hopefully
review their evacuation plan.
I remember going to, I think it was
Kansas City.
(20:31):
Kansas City has basically a, what do they
call that?
It has a brief demo to explain to
everyone what a fallout shelter is.
(20:58):
Yeah, so I remember staying there, and I
remember them telling me that I needed to
go to this brief little seminar.
It was like maybe 20 or 30 minutes.
And I didn't have a chance.
I just checked in.
They said, well, you can go tomorrow.
It's fine.
So the next day came, and you had
(21:20):
to attend it before you went to sleep
the next day.
So I came in from a client that
I was at, came in.
They said, oh, we're doing a seminar.
It's starting in just five minutes.
You can go in right now.
So I went in, and they went over
all the things about the elevators, how elevators
would be put out of use, what a
fallout shelter is, and how do you stay
(21:43):
safe?
So that's a good question.
What is a fallout shelter?
In like a tornado?
That's probably a good one to explain, right?
A fallout shelter and tornado is a confusing
phrase.
Shelters protects against, they call it, nuclear events,
while tornado shelters protect against high winds and
(22:04):
debris.
They sometimes call it a fallout shelter, but
really, that's not what this is.
Fallout shelters are just nuclear, but tornado shelters
protect against high winds and debris.
But a well-built underground shelter designed for
nuclear fall could offer protection in a tornado
as well, though it wouldn't be as well
(22:25):
put together for its primary design purpose.
Many underground storm or safe rooms are also
equipped with NBC filtration for modern nuclear biological
protection, creating a versatile disaster shelter.
So you might be asking, and it's a
very, very good question, what is NBC filtering?
(22:48):
So it stands for nuclear biological chemical filtering,
referring to air filtration systems designed to remove
dangerous contaminants like radioactive particles, biological agents, and
chemical warfare agents from the air.
That's NBC.
It's not network broadcasting channel.
It's nuclear biological chemical filtering.
(23:10):
And these systems typically combine a HEPA filter
for solid particles and activated carbon for gas
vapors, creating an over-pressurized environment in the
protected space to prevent contaminated air from entering.
So pretty interesting, right?
But again, systems like this don't just work
by magic.
(23:32):
You have to do some planning.
So the little gaps we talk about between
impulse and action is where mistakes are often
caught and breakthroughs are born.
We don't always learn the right way to
do something until we've done it the wrong
way or until we've had a chance to
(23:52):
brainstorm about it.
Success loves a solid blueprint.
No great building stands without a blueprint.
No great building.
The same, guys, is true for any success.
Big wins are born from small details mapped
out ahead of time.
(24:14):
Guys, blueprint your journey and watch solid results
appear before your eyes.
A lot of people say, you know what,
John?
I'm just going to wing it.
A lot of people still do that.
And winging it rarely wins.
Planning wins big time.
(24:36):
Sometimes you have to improvise, but the big
victories, they go to those who map their
path.
Careful planning brings consistency, growth, and confidence to
every pursuit.
I think a lot of people don't want
to plan because they're like, oh, I don't
need to do that.
I know how to do that.
It's very easy to get out of the
(24:56):
building.
Okay, but have you done it?
No, but I know how to do it.
Maybe the door is stuck.
Maybe there's something else you didn't think of,
but you wouldn't know it unless you practiced
it.
You know, guys, great ideas need the fuel
of structure.
(25:17):
Ideas alone don't change the world.
Action rooted in structure does.
So that means we need to be planning
if we want to be successful.
Planning gives creative sparks the fuel and stability
they need to become lasting results to make
(25:38):
positive improvements.
You know, I once learned from somebody, when
we talk about planning, when you don't plan,
okay, when you have failed to plan, then
you have planned to fail.
Let me say that again.
When you have failed to plan, you plan
to fail.
When you failed to plan, you have basically
(26:02):
planned to fail.
Map the goal, guys, before chasing it.
A clear destination transforms effort into results.
Knowing your end goal lights the path, measures
your progress, and keeps your motivation alive high
(26:25):
even when, well, you may stumble.
Planning saves time and trouble later, and few
things pay for themselves as richly as planning
does.
Small investments in planning now sidestep huge problems
and frustrations later, turning time into your greatest
(26:45):
ally.
Every champion starts with a plan.
Winners in every field, sports, business, art, it
didn't get there by chance, guys.
Their secret was simple.
They planned.
The work.
(27:05):
They worked the plan and adjusted as needed
along the way.
Measure twice, guys, and act once.
Taking the time to double-check your effort
pays off.
My grandfather always said, measure once, measure twice,
cut once.
(27:26):
Careful attention before acting avoids costly errors, giving
you a reputation for excellence and dependability.
Now, wouldn't you want to be seen as
dependable?
Plans are the seeds of progress.
Planting a plan is the first step toward
growth.
Just as a seed becomes a tree, every
(27:48):
meaningful outcome has roots in the planning that
came before it.
Intentional action creates lasting impact.
Acting with intent ensures your results don't just
solve today's problems.
They set you and others, well, up for
success.
(28:08):
Purpose and preparation make your actions matter for
years to come.
The best results come from a prepared mind.
Great performers, no matter the field, excel because
they are always ready.
Guys, I hope you've enjoyed this show.
And do check out BelieveMeAchieved.com for more
of my amazing and, of course, inspiring creations.
(28:30):
And remember, always plan.
Because if you don't, you've actually planned to
fail.
Have a great one, everyone.
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