Plan B: The backup plan, the second option that we embark onto after our A choice doesn’t work out.
Contrary to what I thought up until this year, plan B is not most useful for a rainy day when plan A doesn’t materialize itself. Rather, plan B is what we need most when our first alternative does materialize itself, but isn’t what we want.
In an ideal world, we are achieving the goals we set and continuing on our path, likely in a linear trajectory. The reality is that this might (read: will) not happen, and we need to be ready for that.
We also need to be ready for the times that everything will be going according to plan, we are achieving our goals, and then realize that our plan A is not what we truly want. In that instance, being able to turn to another pre-determined alternative will save us putting in more effort, spending money, and days, weeks, months or even years of unease or discomfort.
I can attest to that because over the past year I have been working through a Plan B that wasn’t something I ever envisioned undertaking. My plan B materialized itself while still walking down the path of plan A, hurdling over my goals, when I realized I didn’t want to go any further with my plan A.
Taking a few wobbly steps away taught me the importance of actually having a plan B, and making sure that it’s not just something to fall back onto, but to jump into. It all made me realize that a Plan B shouldn’t be approached as second-best, but as an equal alternate.
We should not doubt our ability to achieve our goals, but understand our ability to change our minds and set new goals. It also doesn’t mean that we’re approaching endeavours with an alternate ending because we’re pessimistic, but rather because we’re realistic – we understand that, despite having a desired outcome, we need to prepare for whatever opportunity, challenge, or change of plan that comes our way.
Planning for adversity opens us to it, and along with that comes the ability to adapt, whether or not it’s part of our plan A or B.
JL
