The Practice of Preparedness

In this episode, we chat about the significance of preparedness in achieving personal goals. Being prepared is not just about the immediate moment but is the foundation for future success. Let's review practical steps to enhance our preparedness, including locking in on goals, gathering resources, establishing routines, and tracking progress. And don't forget the value of community support on our journey of personal growth.

Takeaways

• Preparedness is a continuous practice, not a one-time event.
• Locking in on goals is essential for commitment.
• Gathering information should lead to action, not just collection.
• Establishing a routine helps automate the practice of preparedness.
• Tracking progress is crucial to staying motivated and recognizing growth.
• Community support can enhance your preparedness journey.

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Transcript

Marsharelle Tolbert (00:00)
Hey everyone, welcome back to the pod. I'm Marsharelle and I just want to let you know that I am super excited that you have joined me today. It never gets old and I really do not take for granted that you choose to tune in with me each week. And my prayer is that you find value with what is being shared here. As I always say, this is a community and I love hearing your feedback. So do not hesitate to send me an email.

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The other day I was thinking about the things that we desire. The things that we pray for and want for our lives and what it takes to get them. You know, God may have placed something in our hearts and made it clear that it is for us, but that doesn't mean that there isn't work to be done. Oftentimes when we ask for things, we want to believe that we're ready to receive them when in reality we're not, we're unprepared and we ignore the fact that our level of preparedness is part of the process.

And the purpose. And we think that by ignoring it, we can just get around it. And I'm sure you know that's not true. So let's go back a bit.

Do you ever remember back in the day in school when a test would come up that you didn't study for, but you were praying that you passed anyway? And if you had the audacity, you might have even asked for an A in that prayer. And there are a couple of outcomes that you could have experienced, right? Worst case, you got the low score that you actually earned because you didn't study, or...

Maybe you squeaked by with a passing grade based on like some residual knowledge that you collected while you were learning the topic in class. Or by some miracle, you crammed and you did really well. And you would celebrate that win, right? With a big sigh of relief. And you might've even felt impressed by yourself, like you really did something.

That is until the time came for that midterm or that final, and you realize that you still didn't know the information. That test that you did well on previously was simply a false win, right? And that terrible midterm grade was just a reminder that you never did your due diligence to begin with, and you remained unprepared in this circumstance.

We trick ourselves into thinking, you know, let me just get through this one test with a good grade and then I'll go back and I'll really study so that I can catch up to what I'm supposed to know. It's what we tell ourselves. But how often do we actually go back after we've moved forward, especially if we think we made it through, right? It's like it happened, it's done. Who actually has time to go back?

I say all that to say that preparedness isn't only for the moment that you are currently in. The preparation that you are doing right now for the moment directly in front of you is actually laying the foundation for the many moments that are to come. Sure, you might be able to get by right now, but when that midterm pops up, will you have retained the information that you were supposed to have learned way back in unit one?

Because unit one was the foundation for units two through six. And you can't skip ahead because you'll miss something, right? Preparedness is a practice. If you are a procrastinator and a fly by the seat of your pants type of person, you aren't going to be able to just wake up and decide, you know, I'm going be prepared for this next thing, no problem. The truth is it's going to be hard.

You'll be challenged in your ability to stay the course because you won't always feel like you are achieving something. It could feel like, you know, what am I doing all this for? But that practice, those reps that you are putting in now will show up for you when you need them. And you'll be so prepared that it will feel natural. Like you were born with the knowledge and the abilities that you are calling on. That's where we want to get to.

So let's talk about some things that we can do on a daily basis to practice our preparedness. Number one, you have to lock in. If you aren't committed to achieving the goal or acing the exam or nailing the presentation, not just wanting to do that thing, right? But actually being committed to it, you will never be able to stick to the process of preparing for it.

So are you focused on the things that you are truly willing to lock in on, or are you spending time entertaining what you might consider, you know, nice to haves? We always talk about setting goals, right? If it's a true goal that you want to ground yourself in and lock in on, you have to write it down or record it or take a picture that reminds you of it and post it somewhere within sight.

And when you notice that you're swaying, you you'll have that tangible point of reference that you can zero in on to refocus. I used to be a heavy journaler. But what I've realized is that over the years, I stopped writing everything down, which not only made me less focused, but also less confident.

Literally just making that connection crazy. but yeah, I was less confident, but it was because I hadn't been grounded, right? A thought can take you any and everywhere, which can be nice sometimes, but not when you're trying to achieve a goal or change a behavior,

if I'm going any and everywhere all of the time, when can I actually prepare for where I'm going? So lock in and ground yourself in what you say you are committed to. Number two, gather your information and resources. This one is tricky though, because it can sometimes be a self-made trap. Yes, we need knowledge and resources, but

I caution you not to get stuck in the routine of collecting information and not taking action. Preparedness is about more than collecting information, right? That is why we are referring to preparedness as a practice. The practice is the action part.

You collect the information and other things that you need so that you are informed and well equipped when you take action. So gather, but don't get stuck. Number three, establish a routine. It's so much easier to get those reps in when a routine is in place.

Our brain doesn't always want the responsibility of trying or learning something new, right? It thrives on habit as well. So do yourself a favor and automate those parts of your practice that you can, whether it's waking up or working out at the same time every day or studying at the same time each night, do what you can to ease the burden.

put some things in place that you can do without thinking to help you in your routine and your habit building. And number four, track your progress. Listen, sometimes the journey is long. Okay. And you may not see the end or the mile marker of triumph in sight. I actually just heard a story about that this weekend from a pastor at my church who talked about the 22 year journey it took him to actually becoming a pastor. But it made me think, that you have to record your progress along the way to see just how far you've traveled because why wouldn't that be discouraging? 22 years? Listen,

You might not see that end result in sight, but it doesn't mean it's not there, right? So you have to record your progress along the way to see how far you've traveled, all that you've learned. The journey is so important. I always say it,

And it's a beautiful thing to see where all that practice has gotten you so far. That's also the motivation that you need to keep going when you feel like you really aren't improving or seeing results. So these are just a few areas that I wanted to highlight today, but of course there are many other things that you can do, right?

Ask yourself, what are some things that I can do or processes that I can put in place to help me prepare? Whenever my daughter studies she makes flashcards. And

The act of first writing down the question and the answer is a way to connect with the information and prepare for future study. flipping those cards to review over and over is the practice. And she can carry her practice with her. So you have to identify the things you need to do in order to get ready. And of course, don't forget to tap into your village.

Let them know how they can support you. inquire about resources they may have or ask to be held accountable. We thrive in community for a reason. So don't rob yourself of the benefits of community by not engaging in it.

I said this just the other day on social, but I'm gonna say it again for y'all here on the pie. I have no desire to get to the place that I have been striving to get to or to be presented with my dream opportunity only to remember that I didn't prepare for the test and I only crammed for it. I don't want to find myself in a place where I can't recall any of the knowledge that I need to flourish in my new space because I never studied to retain.

That's not it, y'all. That is not the place I want to be. and I don't want any of you out there to find yourselves in that space either. So what is it that you are or should be preparing for?

I encourage you to commit to engaging in the practice of preparing daily so that you never truly have to worry about getting ready because you've been ready. And even more than that, now you're simply waiting, right? We want to be outside honking that horn like we're picking somebody up, not, you know, running after the car. So listen, 2025 is around the corner. If you could believe it.

But you still have plenty of time to prepare for whatever may be waiting there. I'll leave you with a quote from Marie Forleo today to remind you of what you are working toward and why you must prepare. She says, success doesn't come from what you do occasionally. It comes from what you do consistently. Thanks so much for listening today.

If what you have been hearing has been beneficial, don't forget to share, rate, and review the pod wherever you are listening. Let's grow this village, y'all. I can't wait to chat with you all again next week. Take care until then.