Scrap Your Backup Plans

“I learned some important lessons from my children that day. ”

The title of this blog makes me cringe. Sometimes all I think about is the backup plan - wanting to make sure that if things go wrong then I can salvage the situation. Before diving deeper into scrapping backup plans, I would have never considered not having one. After all, for a person who lives by the 5 Ps, Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance, I have seen the benefits of a backup plan. 

Here is what changed my mind. I was watching my kids build with their Legos. The idea was to build a castle a height taller than one of our standing lamps in our home. I watched as they placed piece upon piece, going higher and higher. They weren’t thinking about what happens when they run out of pieces, but I was, or how they were going to stack the final blocks to the top because the castle would be taller than both of them, but my 5P mind was already moving to Plan B, or thinking about how I would console them when their plan didn’t develop.

We're taught from a young age to have a backup plan in case our initial plan doesn't work out, whether it's in our personal lives or professional careers. When the moment arrived and blocks were scarce, I could see the growing disappointment of them not reaching their goal, until, my daughter remembered that they had been building in another room and they could disassemble those projects. Problem solved. As I prepared myself to hear the disappointment of reaching the top of this massive structure, my son runs out of the room. When he returns, he has a step ladder in his hand and is ready to crown the castle. They both jumped up and down in joy having accomplished their goal. Had they considered a plan B they may have moved the mark of their goal to build a shorter castle, or decided to change the scope of their project (a car instead of a castle) which would have been satisfying, but not their original vision, or they just decide there are too many challenges and leave the project unfinished, knowing they have other things to distract them. I learned some important lessons from my children that day.

Here are a few lessons for why scrapping your backup plans may be a good idea.

1. It forces you to commit to your primary plan

When we have a backup plan, it can be tempting to hold back on fully committing to our primary plan. We may subconsciously view our primary plan as a "just in case" option, which can lead to a lack of motivation and a failure to give it our all. By eliminating the backup plan, we're forced to fully commit to our primary plan and put all our efforts into making it work.

2. It reduces distractions and uncertainty

Having a backup plan can create unnecessary distractions and uncertainty. We may spend too much time and energy focusing on our backup plan, which can take away from our ability to focus on our primary plan. Additionally, having a backup plan can create uncertainty, as we're never quite sure which plan we should be focusing on. By scrapping the backup plan, we can eliminate these distractions and focus all of our energy on our primary plan.

3. It opens the door for greater creativity

Having no backup plan moves us to think outside of our current situation. It forces us to think deeper about how we solve a problem. It challenges us to be resourceful and innovative in identifying solutions for points of stickiness in the primary plan. We are moved to be flexible in our thinking and approach, which leads us to discoveries of improvement and enhancement.

4. It can lead to greater success

Eliminating the backup plan can lead to greater success in our primary plan. By fully committing to our primary plan and focusing all of our efforts on making it work, we increase our chances of success. Additionally, eliminating the backup plan can give us a sense of urgency and motivation to make our primary plan work, which can lead to greater levels of achievement and success.

Of course, there are situations where having a backup plan is necessary, such as in emergencies or high-risk situations. However, in most cases, scrapping your backup plan can be a beneficial approach. It forces you to fully commit to your primary plan, reduces distractions and uncertainty, opens the door for creativity and can lead to greater success. So, the next time you're considering a backup plan, ask yourself if it's truly necessary or if it's just creating unnecessary distractions and uncertainty.