Everybody Has a Plan Until First Contact With The Enemy

I hope you have all now seen or read one of our absolute favorite quotes by Andy Grove:

“ENGAGE. THEN PLAN.”

We’ve been astounded over the years by how many people PLAN, PLAN, PLAN … RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH … CULTIVATE, CULTIVATE, CULTIVATE</br> …</br>and never ENGAGE!

Remember, ENGAGE = VISIT = PRESENT = JUST ASK!

Perhaps these two quotes by a legendary warrior/philosopher and a not-so-legendary boxer might also help.

“EVERYBODY HAS A PLAN UNTIL FIRST CONTACT WITH THE ENEMY.”
Sun Tzu
(The Art of War)

“EVERYBODY HAS A PLAN UNTIL THEY GET HIT.”
Leon Spinks

The ‘PLAN’ is not the answer.

GET OUT AND ENGAGE. MAKE FIRST CONTACT! (It’s not the enemy!) GET HIT. (Make visits. Take your best shot.)

Your ‘PLAN’ will be a thousand times better after you have had this first contact and gotten hit than it is right now if you’re writing it in your office or conference room or in a bubble.