The 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, once said, “The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.” Though that advice was given a half-century ago, it remains just as true today; the time to act is now, before the crisis is upon you.
If you know your roof (or plan) has a leak, you shouldn’t wait until it starts raining to do something about it – fix it now! If you know your car or career is low on gas, you shouldn’t wait until you’re stranded on the side of the road to worry about it – refuel now! If you know you have an important test coming up, don’t wait until you walk into the classroom or face the test – study and prepare now!
Granted, not all situations or crises can be predicted or prevented, but as much as possible, prepare now! Dictionary.com defines preparation as:
- A proceeding, measure, or provision by which one prepares for something: preparations for a journey.
- Any proceeding, experience, or the like considered as a mode of preparing for the future.
- An act of preparing.
- The state of being prepared.
Just like a wise person would fix their roof before the next storm, fuel up their car before running out of gas, and study and prepare for a test before taking it, we all should take measures to be prepared for whatever is next in our personal and professional lives.
It might be getting the education you need for the vocation you desire, taking steps to start a family, investing in relationships that one day may help advance your career, saving for your kids’ college tuition, or planning for retirement. Just as a squirrel instinctively stores food for the winter, we also need to look ahead and prepare for our futures.
In addition to making proper preparations for the future and taking steps toward achieving goals, we also should take steps toward preventing crisis – we should prepare for hardship and adversity. When Kennedy uttered those famous words during his State of the Union Address fifty years ago, he was referring to the need to prepare for the possibility of – and hopefully prevent – another recession. Though the nation was at the time experiencing economical recovery, Kennedy knew that the time to act was then, before crisis arose again.
We all know it’s important to be prepared – there are enough insurance commercials to remind us of that several times a day! But what are some things in your personal and professional life that you should be prepared for that you have been neglecting? Take some time to think about it, and then take time to fix your roof while the sun is shining!
Never forget this powerful truth and reality; “The future belongs to those who prepare for it!”
