BE ORGANIZED AND PREPARED

“It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.”

—Eleanor Roosevelt, former First Lady of the United States.

Keep track of your essential tools. Your wallet, purse, keys and cell phone are essential tools and you should know where they are at all times.

Our phones are our primary means of communication and will soon replace our wallets and our keys. These items carry a unique significance because of their special utility. They’re not the equivalent of your sunglasses or your low-fat mocha. Recognize their essential utility—and treat them accordingly.

One of my professors at the University of San Diego School of Law told us “Always remember the three Ps—preparation, preparation and preparation.” I always did; and I always tried to be more prepared than anyone I ever interacted with—whether in a business deal or in a court room.

Roger Fisher was a professor at Harvard Law School for more than four decades, a pioneer in the field of international law and negotiation and the co-founder of the Harvard Negotiation Project. When I participated in the Harvard Negotiation Project in 1995 and 1996, one of the many important things he taught us was this:

“You can spend one hour preparing for a negotiation and nine hours negotiating. Or you can spend nine hours preparing and one hour negotiating.”

Organization and preparation are both keys to success. As the Boy Scouts of America say, “Be Prepared.”