It's easy to spot people who are zooming through life without a plan. Every day is an assortment of scattered thoughts and actions that often leave them living life in a circular motion. There is movement, but it doesn't account for much as they have very little to show for it.
This characteristic is not one of procrastination. Instead, it is a lack of clarity of thought and direction.
When one doesn't take the time to plan and visualize the path and is constantly making up stuff on the fly, they almost always get tackled by the well-prepared competitor.
Legendary sports coaches remind their teams to have those first couple of plays edged into their memory before the start of a game. Regardless of what happens, you follow a sequence you have practised.
Public speakers do the same with the opening and the closing of their speeches. It helps with getting things started on a solid footing. If you are leading people, this becomes critical.
When strong leaders do not have a plan, the people they are leading lose their level of confidence. The first sign of trouble finds people deserting the playing field, looking for safer pastures.
Use a plan to set the guard rails of where you would like to go. Start strong and have a clear idea of what you are setting out to achieve. The rest is improvisation and responding to the ever-changing conditions.
The world desperately needs leaders who have the self-confidence and courage to chart the way forward.