Preparation, Failure, and... Benjamin Franklin?

“By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail.” — Benjamin Franklin

I used to think that there were people who were naturally successful, born with some gene that made them that way. As I move into my Modern Elder stage of life, I can honestly say that isn’t true. I wish I had learned this crucial bit of information earlier, but as the saying goes, better late than never. 

I have found that taking a few minutes to prepare for a networking event (or any meeting for that matter), will go a long way to your success. 

A simple search on LinkedIn can yield a lot of information. It helps you prepare questions, understand the commonalities you have, and whether or not the event is worth your time.  

It doesn’t matter whether it’s an in-person or virtual event—the more you know ahead of time, the better you can participate. 

As I was preparing this blog post for you, I did a little research about Franklin’s quote. There is a dispute about whether he said it at all. The website Quote Investigator gives credit to Reverend H.K. Williams. He said:

“Be well prepared and brief in your remarks. There is positively no excuse for wasting another’s time by going to the meeting unprepared and rambling helplessly in your talk. Remember, if you fail to prepare you are preparing to fail.”

Who really said it first? I don’t know, but the wisdom stands the test of time. 

P.S. Williams’ quote reminded me of a time when I had to speak at an event and Judy Barr Topinka, the beloved Treasurer and Comptroller for the State of Illinois, whispered in my ear after I spoke: “Dear, you were perfect, brief, to the point.” Another point in favor of preparation!