When it comes to making plans there are generally two groups of mindsets. One where you work on your plan A while preparing a plan B in case things don’t go as planned (a.k.a. you fail), and one where you work on plan A… only; no plan B.
After thinking about it for a while I’ve come to the conclusion that the best method of choice (and the hardest) is to go with no plan B.
See, one has to realize that this whole debate is centered around one fear. The fear of plan A failing and us having nothing to back it up. But surprise, surprise, this fear actually has a bright side to it. Psychologically speaking this fear can be harnessed (both consciously and unconsciously) to make the odds of plan A failing slim. When there is no plan B, we focus 100% of our undivided attention on it. We work harder at it because “it cannot fail”.
It’s the “all or nothing” plan.
Some people hate the “all or nothing” plan. They say that it’s one of the most unreasonable plans out there. They say that doing what you love on the side until it gives you a nice enough income is the way to go. They say that the “all or nothing” plan is for those who are crazy and stupid. BUT WHY NOT BE CRAZY AND STUPID?!
Yes, it’s unreasonable to drop everything and follow your dreams. And yes, you will probably have a far, far harder journey on your hands than the person who sticks with a plan B. But who’s actually going to pursue their dreams with everything they’ve got?
Let’s look at two scenarios (I’ll use imaginary characters called Alex and Alexis to illustrate the scenarios).
Scenario #1
Alex, 20 years old, works at Starbucks. He hates it (big shock). He’s secretly loved photography ever since he was a kid, but was always afraid of dropping everything and pursuing his passion.
One day, after an extremely hard shift, he comes home to his [decent sized] apartment and comes up with a plan of how to follow his dreams. He’s going to stop watching TV, and use that precious 4-5 hours after his job to learn everything he can about photography and slowly break into the field.
Alex actually sticks to his plan, and on a regular basis you can find him working at Starbucks 9-5, and working on his passion (photography) from 6-11. He has a plan A (being a photographer), but he’s making sure that he has a plan B (Starbucks) in case plan A fails.
Scenario #2
Alexis, 20 years old, also works at Starbucks. And, she also hates working there. Her secret passion is film (not acting, film). She loves it! She loves telling a story with the camera. She would be in heaven if that’s what she got to do every day on a regular basis.
After having one of the worst shifts of her life, she decides that she’s going to quit Starbucks in a month no matter what. And after a month of working her ass off, she quits. The first thing she does is buy all the bare minimum equipment she needs to pursue her dream. She then moves to an apartment so small you can barely call it an apartment. She starts pursing her dream.
Alexis has chosen the “fuck plan B” plan. She’s going all in. She knows that she’s going to live off beans and peas for the next couple of years, and that she’ll live in the crappiest apartment in the city while eating those beans. But she doesn’t care, she’s focusing her full day towards her love of film, and for her that more than makes up for her living conditions (she’s doing what she loves all day!).
Who do you think has a greater probability of actually grasping their dreams?
Alexis or Alexis? The “plan B-er” or the “plan A-er”? The one who’s splitting his time and concentration between a job he hates and a career he wants? Or the one who’s desperately chasing the career of her dreams because she knows that if she doesn’t “make it” she’ll literary have nothing left?
Who’s going to fight harder?
Frankly, life has taught me that the one with nothing to lose, and everything to gain, will always fight harder. And I’d rather bet on the one who fights harder.
I’ll let you decide.
photo credit: WorldIslandInfo.com