Marketplace Proverbs & Coffee With Ernie

“The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.” Proverbs 21:5 (ESV)“It’s not the will to win that matters—everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.” Paul “Bear” Bryant, University of Alabama Football CoachOver the years, I’ve set many goals. Honestly, I’ve achieved far fewer than I intended—not because the goals were wrong, but because I lacked the will to prepare to accomplish them. I wrote some in journals and jotted others on scrap paper. But that’s where the journey ended—not in failure, but in abandonment due to lack of preparation.Looking back, especially as I near birthday number 78, I realize something: much of the potential I had early in life was left untapped—not because I didn’t want to succeed, but because I didn’t consistently prepare for it. I’m learning that wanting something and working toward it are not the same.Oddly, as a sales professional, I’ve always been a stickler for pre-call planning. I’d never waste my time—or a customer’s time—by going into a meeting unprepared. Having a clearly defined objective was always part of the process. Why? because I cared deeply about helping my customers thrive and prosper. When I prepared thoroughly, the goals were often met.So here’s the painful question I had to ask myself: Do I take my career-level responsibilities more seriously than my dreams and God-given goals?Thanks for listening to Marketplace Proverbs & Coffee With Ernie! This post is public, so please share it!Thanks for listening to Marketplace Proverbs & Coffee With Ernie! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marketplaceproverbs.substack.com