The best laid plans, when they fall through
Sitting in the Sea Tac airport in Seattle, Washington I started to stress out, just a bit. I had made these plans and confirmed them over four months ago. Now, all bets were off. Who knew Mother Nature was going to throw us a curve ball?
Pre-planning travel
When traveling my preference is to have, everything planned. Securing the time out of the office was first on the list. Making sure all trucks were fully loaded and all customers called I could rest easy while traveling to Chicago for my Mastermind meeting.
I had purchased the airline tickets back in January. April brought about the first change; an email arrived changing my route. This trip would not be a direct flight; we would to go to Portland, Oregon then on to Chicago.
However, for unknown reasons our flight laid over in Seattle, Washington. This change was inconvenient, but did not interfere with our meeting so it was easy to go with the flow. This is how I "woulda" handled the flight any other day.
Hotel reservations and room buddies were next on the list. Our business coach made everything so simple. Securing an elegant hotel in downtown Chicago, Illinois her assistant emailed the group the reservation details. I made one phone call and we secured our room. I "coulda" put off making the reservation, but I wanted to make sure to receive the special group rate.
Months later, the day finally arrived. Leaving home early in the morning my excitement rose. A big cup of coffee, upbeat music playing on the radio and I was off to the airport. The drive is normally long and boring. Today the two-hour drive seemed to fly by.
Security at the airport seemed a breeze that morning. Within five minutes, I had my luggage x-rayed and my shoes back on my feet. Starbucks beckoned me for that second cup of Joe and all was good. Who knew that I "shoulda" checked the weather before heading on such a trip?
Control freak
Whenever we travel, it seems that I like to control as much as possible. From the flight reservations to the shuttle from the airport, each detail came together like a charm for this trip. During the week before the trip small events happened that seemed to indicate my trip might have hiccups. When this happens, I usually go with the flow. I cannot control these events or people so why worry.
Over the past fourteen years working on personal growth and control, issues have been a focus for me. There is no such thing as being perfect, which is part of being a control freak. It just makes for such a nicer trip when all parts of a trip come together and do not fall through.
Waiting for other people or Mother Nature is not something that comes easy for many people, me included. Although I could work, it is not as easy as working in my quiet home office. With thousands of anxious passengers milling around the noise level continually rises. This day was no exception; I wanted to be with my fellow classmates at the Mastermind in Chicago.
It only made sense to update my husband that I would not be leaving for Chicago on time. We have an agreement when I travel alone. When it is convenient and safe, I call on my cell phone to let him know my travel status. This call did not go the way it should have.
When plans do not flow, if any small detail gets disharmonious, he prefers to retreat. His suggestion was for me to hop a plane and return home relinquishing my rights to the mastermind weekend.
I "coulda" really melted down, instead holding my head high and standing my ground I reassured him it would be fine and well worth the struggle to get there.
Chicago here I come
Finally, we received word the flight could depart for its destination. Three and a half hours later we landed. High winds and torrential rains challenged the pilot. The turbulence shook the plane and I tightened my seat-belt. Small children laughed as if it were an e-ticket at an amusement park. Thanking my Creator for a safe journey, I was excited to join my business associates at the hotel.
Resistance had not finished with me. Remember, I had booked my shuttle ahead of time. Flights all over the country were late due to the weather. Due to all flights arriving at the same time, all prepaid shuttles were overwhelmed with the crowds. Tired, hungry and cold we just wanted to get to our final destinations. What should have been a fifteen minute load and go shuttle, turned into an hour and a half run down the shuttle and insist they let us on. Customer service, NOT!
As it turned out, I finally made it to my hotel in downtown Chicago. After checking in, finding my room, I quickly changed and hit the bed.
After a good nights rest we were back up and in the meeting room at eight AM. Was it worth all of the resistance we had to overcome to get there? Absolutely, the lessons we all learned from each other that weekend will propel each of our businesses for the next six months.
Sharing ideas with people from all sorts of businesses taught me lessons I never could have learned anywhere else. You could not get such a diverse group all together in any other type of meeting environment.
My business coach, Sandi Krakowski knows what she is doing. Exposing each of us to a world of successful business owners is the richest kind of business tool.
To pattern my business after those I have learned from, I will be sharing with all my friends on Facebook. If you ever get a chance to meet, face to face with a group of like-minded business owners, do it.
Do not let resistance raise its ugly head and try to stop you, your business’s success depends on it.
Join us won't you? We need your help to spread the word about these lessons. If you have learned anything at all from our story, send a tweet to your Twitter friends; drop a short post to your Facebook friends. You can bet they will enjoy and learn right beside you
Here to Serve,
Carla J Gardiner
Carla J Gardiner is an ex-banker turned entrepreneur who built an auto transport brokerage and dispatch center from the ground up. With half a days training and little else Carla learned the business inside and out the hard way…by doing it. Her passion and purpose lies with the people she works with daily; the client, dispatcher, broker and truck driver. Her frustration within the industry has birthed a new division of her company; one to properly train, encourage and mentor other professionals in auto transport. What did you think?
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