Concrete Doesn’t Bend & Other Wisdom.

Yesterday I was given some stapled papers that supposedly contain a new way to do a business plan – it’s designed for those of us who shudder at the very mention of the idea of drafting such a document. I haven’t looked through the thing yet and already I’ve formed an opinion.

I’m skeptical about how revolutionary or good it could actually be – since it’s still called a business plan. (Didn’t they get the point that even the word plan blasts our blood pressure off the charts?)

And besides, haven’t we gotten over the whole PLAN thing yet? What happened to leaving things (at least some things) up to the Universe? Is it evident that I really resist the word plan?

I do, however, rather enjoy the idea of a trajectory, a vision or a direction, or an intention. But a plan? Nah. It sounds so certain, so cut in stone, so not creative or flexible. Yuck.

But the idea of creating a story, now that sounds fun to me! How about we create business stories instead of plans – like interviews with ourselves from the future. Or like reading a biography on the company… A future snapshot, instead of the road map of how to get there (because, as we know, there are infinite paths to the same destination).

Plus, if the whole of life is about the journey – then by virtue of having a concrete plan in place, we’ve already limited ourselves! There’s no room for what else we might discover. Something greater can’t show up, because, well, it’s not part of the plan. Instead, how about setting our trajectory and adding the clause, ‘And or something even better.’ Most plans don’t allow for this, let alone embrace it.

I say, eff the plan! Let’s not stick to it. Let’s see what amazing possibilities show up along the way!

As far as I can tell, the only reason people have plans is to get someone else to ‘buy in.’ This may be literally, like investing money, or it might be on a more conceptual level, where they agree to ‘go along with said plan’ with you.

No matter which way we skin this cat, casting a concrete plan eliminates the possibility of expansive (greater) thought or action. We all know what happens to concrete when you ask it to bend and be flexible.

Why am I so repulsed by plans? Hmmm. I’m not repulsed by all plans. I like plane tickets purchased in advance. I like having an idea of what we’re doing on Sunday (so I know how to prepare). I like maps, which, I suppose, technically are ‘plans.’ I like knowing what time my dinner guests are arriving. I like shopping lists (but abhor shopping itself – I prefer meandering amid lovely products, admiring them and taking my sweet ass time, without needing to purchase anything).

If I really don’t like the situation I’m in, I like a plan to get myself out of it. But this is almost always a short plan of, say, five minutes or so. It sure ain’t some fan-dangled five-year master plan.

Nah. I’ll coordinate with the Universe on what’s in store for me in five years’ time. For now I’ll stick to (very) close-range planning. Like doing spell check on this post.

What do other people think about plans?

A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.

Lao Tzu

But in practice master plans fail – because they create totalitarian order, not organic order. They are too rigid; they cannot easily adapt to the natural and unpredictable changes that inevitably arise in the life of a community.

Christopher Alexander

 If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.

Woody Allen

Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.

John Lennon

The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.

Robert Burns (translation)

 There is no freedom in certainty.

Bhreah Willson

After reading others’ thoughts on plans I can see where confusion might arise. I’ve even confused myself, in fact.

In peeling this onion back even further, there seems to be a significant difference between planning vs. a plan. A plan, as a noun, is so singular and certain – it is this that I am weary of. But planning, well, that is more broad and creative. Dwight Eisenhower captured it well.

Plans are nothing; planning is everything.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

And funny enough, Jennifer Aniston seems to share the wisdom.

I always say don’t make plans, make options.

Jennifer Aniston

As for me, I’m of the opinion that with creative planning, direction and vision, we can get somewhere. But a concrete plan to get us there will undoubtedly fail.

UPDATE: I’ve now read the aforementioned stapled papers about a different way of creating a business plan. It wasn’t nearly as horrifying as I’d imagined. In fact, in the ‘plan’ template there is room for dreaming, visioning and even the classic business anti-Christ: emotions! She even uses the word intention, which made me really happy. The plan is by Sherold Barr and you too can have it for free, here: http://sheroldbarr.com/freebies/ it’s called ‘Your Ideal Business Plan – Create a Business that Supports your Life.’ Nice one, Sherold.

Images via Geer Association and Old Shoe Woman.

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