Welcome to the next series of SNAPs (Short, Novel and Practical) where I will be diving into the PREPARE phase of the Cadence Approach, specifically looking at preparing for big events in work and life, so we’re in the best possible shape to achieve the best possible outcomes.
Often we can predict when the big events are in our calendar, for example at work that might be:
- Quarter-end sales targets
- A new product launch
- Preparing for a conference, event or tradeshow
- Retail events like Black Friday
- Financial year-end
- A merger
- A restructure
- A big sales meeting
Equally important and often predictable events in our personal lives may be:
- A house move
- A new baby coming into the family
- A child going to a new or specialist school
- Taking a course or an exam
With these types of predictable events, we have time to plan and prepare for them, and that is what I am focussing on today. I think it’s really crucial for us to think about when these big events are and what we can do to prepare ourselves for them. Especially if we want to have the best energy, mood and motivation to achieve the best outcome.
Setting ourselves up for success
Now some of you will know that I’m a big boxing fan, Shane McGuigan is one of the youngest and most successful boxing trainers out there at the moment. I watched a brilliant series called ‘Stable’ on BBC iPlayer. It’s all about Shane McGuigan and his ‘Stable’ of fighters. He was talking about getting one of his fighters, Chris Billam-Smith ready for his world title defense. They were discussing all the little percentage points they look for to improve.
They talked about his hydration, his nutrition, his sleep, and all the aspects of his preparation leading up to the fight. The lengths they go to are incredible.
Consider yourself as a ‘Business Athlete’
Now many of us won’t consider ourselves an athlete, but I believe business is an endurance sport, with occasional (or frequent) sprints. So treating ourselves as a business athlete, and taking these big predictable events as seriously as an athlete would, can be the key to beating burnout and creating the very best outcome.
Now most of us, won’t go to the same extreme lengths, as Shane and Chris, to prepare for an event, and I would suggest for the majority, we likely do nothing to prepare for these big events. We just react and move from one thing to the next, expecting to perform at peak levels all year round. Perhaps that’s not you, and that is a generalisation, but within many of the high-performing businesses I work with, I see this all the time, especially at the senior levels.
Preparing for Big Events = Preparing for Success
It can be as simple as having just one, two or three things you do when preparing for big events. A few small things you do, to set yourself up for success and maximise your performance. Imagine going into those moments with the very best energy, mood, and motivation ensuring you perform at your peak and secure the very best outcome from that event.
That might be:
- Going to be 1 hour earlier in the weeks running up to the event to get a bit more sleep
- Eating really well the morning of the event to prevent the post-carb slump if you’ve had the wrong things for breakfast
- Ambience – carefully select what listen to on the journey to that event to get you in the right mood and head space
All of these things play a part in preparing for big events. This is going to be the focus of next week’s SNAP, so stay tuned for that. But before then I want to leave you with this question to ponder:
What could you do to prepare for big events in work and life?
What are the one, two or three things you could try to boost your energy, mood and motivation so that you can get the very best outcome? As ever we’re big fans of paying it forward, so if something works for you, tell someone, share it and perhaps it will inspire someone else to give it a go. So, with that in mind drop us a comment with anything that you do that sets you up for success.
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