1

Ben VanDyke 8:00-8:50 MWF English 1010 Ready or Not Here I Come Id like to present an idea that many of us need to overcome. Its simple actually and is one of those things that most of us will come to recognize sometime in life, most of the time through bad experiences and regret. This idea to start a conversation begins simply, In decision making, planning our needs before doing what we can or want to do makes life better because we prioritize our life, manage our time and avoid wasteful activities. Now my understanding of this life principle is gained through experience, although not always good experience. What can we do? started the conversation with-in the counsel of young adults trying to organize a food drive in a school setting. So far the plan for the food drive was to decorate a large garbage can with the hope that people would see it and get involved. What can we do? again the million dollar question. Ideas began to flow after moments of thought. One spoke up asking if the teachers had been involved in announcing the food drive and requesting the students to participant. Personally I was not even aware that there was a food drive going on. As others on the counsel spoke out on this question we came to realize that the teachers were in fact not up to speed either. But what can we do? This time we began to speak about actions that could happen, We can tape an announcement to the teachers desk in every classroom and have the teacher read it to every class. We can put up fliers on the doors and in public areas so the students will see that there is a food drive going on. The brainstorming continued as we all reached into our pockets of former experiences of how we have seen others carry out similar objectives. Another

was having the classes compete against each other, the class with the most cans of food would win a pizza party. Then debate began on how to organize each class and where to put the numbers, others questioned where would we keep the cans of food for every class (as there are many classes in one room during the day). These logistical questions went on as we walked in circles around the subject. Because of personal experience, Ive failed enough to know that this type of planning is not effective. Now yes, technically they were right. They were answering the question correctly. These are things we can or could do. Equally we can or could rent a bouncy house and a gigantic inflatable slide and if college students want to bounce or slide they would have to bring a couple cans of food to do so. Yes, this is something we can do, but is it effective? Is this an appropriate solution to achieve our desired goal? Maybe for children, but personally, I wouldnt. My point is that just because we can do something doesnt mean it will be effective in achieving our common goal. Nor is it effective as a group to split off into smaller groups and do many different activities. The question is not what can we do? but What do we need to do? The essence of this question is what is the bare minimum needed to achieve a common goal. With this simple change in words, we now supply ourselves with a specific limit to possibilities and focus on what needs to be done. In life we have many choices that distract our attention. These choices can and will be among many things we can do. In the Disney movie Alice in Wonderland Alice asks the Cheshire Cat which direction she should go. The end result of this conversation was that Alice didnt know. She had no planned destination nor direction on this path. Without goals or a planned destination in our lives we are as Alice, wandering around in a land of wonder and not really obtaining anything. Is that really what we want for ourselves? If we simply asked

ourselves what we needed to do as any major or influencing decision came to our path instead of doing what we wanted to do or doing nothing we would be able to ask our own personal Cheshire Cat which direction should I go to arrive where I want to be. Now with an answer we will be on our way to prioritizing our life by simply asking ourselves what we need specifically. Going back to our food drive the real needs are: 1. we need the students to remember and, 2. We need the students to desire to participant. The next questions are very specific and directed to achieving a common goal. The effective questions begin, what do we need to do to help the students remember? Well a simple solution would be giving each student a take home reminder card. Something big enough to be noticed and nice enough not to be thrown away. That will help them remember. The following question could be something like, what do we need to do to help the students desire to participant? I would write a simple message on the take home card, a message both motivation and reflexive. I would end the message with a question to promote action. This would create a determination to participate. Now with a little delegation this plan is effective. We have determined what we need to do to achieve this goal with a desired outcome. In simplifying to our needs we have managed our time creating more free time in our life. Imagine for a moment the chaos of Christmas shopping. What if you asked yourself and planned the things you needed instead of just simply going around buying what you wanted and waiting in lines. Having a plan would save you time, time you could spend with those you are buying silly and entertaining objects for. Now these objects or presents for Christmas will come and go. They will be played with and enjoyed only temporally then soon will be forgot or replaced. Spending time with loved ones is a gift that cannot be regained or replaced. Think of how great it would be to have more time. I suggest planning your needs before planning what you can do or want.

Again, lets go back to the food drive for a moment. Now that weve got the basics down its time to talk about how this simple change in words can direct our thinking. Believe it or not, this seemingly simple solution of creating a take home card was never mentioned when brainstorming ideas for the food drive. Not to say that this is the only effective idea, but this proves the point that the words used in the questions when planning are very important. They determine the effectiveness of the meeting, they create a direction in which others will participant in an organized manner and help us avoid wasteful activities. The words we use in planning life and our everyday are equally important, we can change the way we think. Ask yourself, what do I need to do? Then upon answering your question create another set of questions that will direct your thoughts to simple actions that will lead to an effective outcome. By directing our thinking straight to our needs, we will cut out the time wasting that fills the moments of our life. But why do we waste time in the first place? Terence T. Burton in suggests some typical thoughts or excuses many have said. Improvement is not in my goals and objectives If I had more time, I would have found a better way (Burton 49). As I have stated, we must have goals to give our life direction. T. Burton simply explains that without goals we cannot improve. Therefore because we have nothing better to do we waste our time. The second excuse for wasting time is the notion that we dont have enough time to accomplish something better or needed. This notion may be false, if we simply started we would soon finish. Think for a moment, if I never start will I ever finish? In conclusion Im not saying we should throw out creativity and become mindless overachieving robots. No. I am simply starting a conversation intended on helping us reflect on what we do, and how we can do it better. Whether in school, or at work we can be effective. The food drive was merely an example of how the right words used in planning can change the

outcome. By planning our needs first we prioritize our life. By determining what we need beforehand we manage our time, saving time for others or other needed tasks. Lastly we effectively avoid wasteful activities because we have direction in life, a goal and desire. As decisions come we can have a better life by simply planning our needs.

Works Cited

Alice in wonderland. Dir. Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske. Perf. Kathryn Beaumont, Ed Wynn. Walt Disney Productions. 1951. Film. Burton, Terence T. "Improve How You Improve." Industrial Engineer: IE 43.8 (2011): 48-53. Academic Search Premier. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.