Lesson 5
“The 7 Ps”
I was 18 years old when this lesson was taught to me! And I can not express how much it has impacted my life.
“Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance
Now, most would look at these words and conclude that one has to plan things prior to implementation, and indeed that is true. But as an HSP, it holds a much deeper significance. You see, in order to plan, one must know what it is they might expect, especially if it’s a new activity. Say you plan on going on a holiday to a country you have never been to before. Here’s where we HSPs have an advantage: we tend to see things in far greater detail than lessor sensitive people. As a result, our planning process takes into consideration details many don’t think about.
I recall being a part of an ATV Club when I was living in Canada. We would often go off into the backcountry miles away from civilization on adventurous rides. On one particular ride, one of the ATVs in our group flipped over during a river crossing, tossing the rider into the frigid fast-moving water. It was September and snow was already on the ground. Hyperthermia would have set in very quickly. After rescuing the rider and the quad, we found a spot where we could tend to him urgently as time is a factor when you’re cold and wet, let alone in shock. I started pulling all sorts of gear out of my quad box, while a few of the other riders stood there in amazement. Within minutes, we had a fire going and the cold and wet rider’s clothes drying on a line. I even had spare clothes to give him while his dried. I recall one of the other riders stating, “Man, you’re prepared for anything”.
Sadly, our attention to detail and our preparedness are often looked upon as overkill, that is until all hell breaks loose. Being adequately prepared goes beyond having the right equipment in a box, it also means having the knowledge and the fortitude to act quickly and decisively. HSPs have this ability; if they learn how to develop it. I have spent 41 years developing mine, and I can honestly say I am very proud I did.
Of course, there are many times when the preparation, both physically and psychologically can be taken to extremes. The feeling of not being prepared enough can stop us from doing some great things. A balance needs to be understood. A good start is in one of my future Lessons I will post here, lesson 21, the “What If” syndrome. I believe many people fall victim to the “What If” syndrome, HSP or not. For we can come up with a billion “What if’s” in life and as Mark Twain wrote:
