"If you fail to plan, you plan to fail"… how true!  How many times we failed in the last year simply because we did not plan properly?

By Dr. Blesson C.S.

The whole world celebrates the birth of a new year. There are parties all around and people are happy and try to start everything fresh all over again with a renewed sense of optimism. There are smiles and jubilation everywhere. It is a time for the personal reflection for many, making a mental journey through the ups and downs of the past year and hope for a brighter year ahead. Serious efforts are made by many to straighten up their tangled and mangled past, hoping against hope that it will be a successful effort this time. Several resolutions are taken, good ones like spending more time on studies, working hard to earn good grades, to play fair in all games, not to bunk classes, to be nicer to friends/brothers and sisters and so on.

While it is good to think about the past and take new resolutions, it is very important that we plan our future. As young people this is an essential discipline. Have you thought about that old saying ‘If you fail to plan, you plan to fail’…how true! How many times we failed in the last year simply because we did not plan properly? How much of time we wasted because of improper planning? Because, we did not plan properly we could not achieve the best we are capable of! How many times we missed opportunities by a whisker because we were unprepared or under-prepared? Well… friends in this New Year we will make every effort so that we will not repeat our past mistakes!
 

I got a mail titled ‘Three things’ which asks us to list three things from each category for the past and the coming year. This exercise will help in planning the New Year and
will help us to set goals. Try this exercise…
1. Three things you need to thank God for...
2. Three happy moments…
3. Three friends you need to thank...
4. Three things you were able to get done...
5. Three things you wanted to do but couldn’t...
6. Three things you did for the family...
7. Three new things that you tried this year...
8. Three things you are proud of...
9. Three regrets you have...
10. Three life lessons you learnt...
11. Three fears for the New Year...
12. Three challenges that await you...
13. Three things you want to get done...
14. Three new things you want to try...
15. Three things you must avoid... 

Look at Psalm 90! I think by this time Moses was old and was well advanced in his age. He has packed it with his experience. I have read it several times before but this time, I viewed it in the point of view of ‘time’. See how he contrasts it with time (Man’s perspective) and eternity (God’s Perspective). Just look at the time words in this psalm and how many times it is being repeated… morning, evening, day, days, years, generations and phrases like ‘just gone by’, ‘quickly pass’ and so on. I think that the climacteric statement is in verse 12. (Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. NIV). He was asking for a divine wisdom from God so that he may know his days and make the most of each day by planning it. 

So friends, let’s spend some time to thank, pray and plan for this year. May be you have to face your biggest challenge this year…plan well in advance and start getting prepared for that. Write down the tasks you would like to do this year, split them into smaller workable units and work towards it day by day. What seemed like a mountain last year will be very easy if you plan properly with God’s help. 

Pray, Plan and then Proceed! Happy New Year!

(About the author: Dr. Blesson C. S. M.Sc., M.Phil., Ph.D. is working as Research Scientist in the Division for Reproductive Endocrinology, Department of Woman and Child Health, Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden.)
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