Master of the Six Ps

Greetings,

Yes, I know the title for this one is a little odd but there will be an explanation of what I am talking about very shortly. For starters, this particular entry is all about preparation. Preparation is important in many different facets of our lives.

The six P's are as such: "Proper Preparation Prevents Piss-Poor Performance" and it is the concept which goes with this that I am attempting to master. This is obviously a long-term project and applies not only to my fencing, which takes up a big part of my life, but many other parts of life. It is a statement which was made by my father some time ago. I thought, at the time that it was an awesome saying, and needless to say it has stuck in my head.

So, time for a bit of examination. For starters we look at the concept behind it. It points toward what a person does before an event in order that the event goes off properly. However, underlying this particular idea is also the point that if the event does not go off, there is the high likelihood that the person only has their self to blame for the outcome. These two are the important elements overall, but it is also useful to look a little closer.

The statement could have said "Preparation Prevents Piss-Poor Performance", but this would not be as accurate. We can prepare for an event of any kind, be it an examination, a tournament of some kind, or a performance piece. The level of preparation is important we can prepare a little and brush over the important bits, and this can lead to a substandard performance. This highlights the importance of proper preparation. It is proper preparation which is of the greatest use in preparing for an event.

The next part to look at is the word "Prevents". The word "prevents" implies that the thing goes a great deal toward something not happening. However it is important that it is not complete. There are things in our lives which we cannot control which can affect a performance. For an outside performance, the weather is a big factor in this one. Of course, it could be argued that a wet-weather back-up plan could be part of the preparation. There are things we cannot control, injury, illness and family issues, all of these things can affect the performance, and in some cases whether it happens or not. What this does say is that proper preparation puts you in the greatest position, for elements you can control, to succeed.

With a little more focus on the medical side of things, making sure that the appropriate medications are taken at the correct times goes a long way to ensuring that the day works out. In some ways it can be argued that the taking of such medication is the proper preparation for the performance of the next day. For the individual with fibromyalgia preparation can be difficult. However, we all know the signs of a bad day coming up, the creeping pain issues building and general feelings of not being well. In the case of preparation in these cases it is ensuring that there is nothing important planned for that day, or cancelling it if there is.

I am still in the process of mastering the Six Ps, but I can guarantee that life gets easier the more that you are prepared for things. Hell, preventative preparation counts on this one. Of course we can never take into account everything that may happen, but there is a lot that we can examine and take into account. Preparation helps with regard to this. Putting in the preparation even if the event does not happen is a good thing as it gets you used to the idea, and will make things easier for you in the long-run.

Cheers,

Henry.