Have a better plan.
良い計画を持とう。
Whenever we do something, planning is important. Without a plan, we would get lost or lose sight of what’s next. But as long as we plan, we have to have a better plan.
In my middle twenties, I had a boss who liked to plan. He created a very detail schedule of all routine works that his subordinates (me included) do, and was proud of himself for doing so. The problem was that, his schedule was based upon the assumption that we had twenty business days per month.
Why was that a problem? When we had less than twenty business days in the month due to a long holiday period, his ‘perfect’ schedule didn’t work at all; it forced his subordinates (again, me included) to come to the office on weekends or holidays while he was relaxing at his home.
Once we start our own business, we can’t be stupid like him. We can’t be proud of ourselves for creating a schedule that wouldn’t work for us and people who help us.
Not everything goes as we plan. But it doesn’t mean that it’s okay to have a dysfunctional plan. As long as you plan, have a better plan.