Why I’m Going Back to an Old Habit

I was out to dinner a with a group of friends my age. My buddy Jim said, “I had a meeting with one of the entrepreneurs I am helping out. I enjoyed it.”I don’t know why, but I asked, “Did you prepare for the meeting?”He said, “No. Not really.”Then Tim jumped in and said, “I had a call today with a prospect, and I didn’t prepare either. I remember how I used to do all kinds of research on the company and on the individual before I would make the call.“I even tried to figure out if we had some common connections or interests. And I did it all without the internet. That used to take time. But it sure paid off in making me successful.”

Aha Moment

Then I realized why I had asked the question to Jim. I haven’t prepared for a meeting for a long time. I don’t mean routine preparation like, “Did you read the board report or executive summary?” I mean prepare like my friend Tim used to prepare. Like all of us who are successful used to do.As I have gotten older, I have to say, I have gotten sloppier. I became good at what I do. I am experienced and have the successes to prove it.I am getting lazy. I am relying on my experience to carry me, not my preparation. Although I add value in my meetings, I realized I could add even more if I took the time to prepare.