Be That Unicorn. Jenny Block

has a plan of their own with which they could use a hand. One of the most significant issues people have with trying to accomplish something is thinking they have to go it alone. One of the best parts of planning ahead is the fact that you can brainstorm who you can bring in to help you to make things work.

      Being That Unicorn is about being self-aware enough to know what you are good at and what you are and are not capable of. Being a good planner is based on that kind of self-awareness. There is no shame in calling in the troops. But it would certainly be a shame to have an entire trip or project or whatever go down the drain because you didn’t pose the very straightforward question: can you give me a hand?

      

Unicorns ask questions and do their research.

      Planning is not about hiding in a hole and making things up when you don’t know how to tackle what’s being presented. The best unicorns are the ones who always know someone who they can reach out to get their questions answered. Having the internet is like having every possible expert at the tip of your fingers. Of course, it also means you have every possible person who thinks he’s an expert at the tip of your fingers. So check your sources and use them wisely.

      If you’re planning a trip, reach out to a friend who has done a similar trip recently or seek out recent articles in respected publications, online or in print. Looking for a job, going to (or back to) school, baking a cake, crafting, building something, organizing an event: you name it, there’s help out there.

      Planning is about researching. Even something as simple as creating a timeline to get something done can benefit from research. Find out how long specific steps generally take, and you’ll have a much better idea of how to plan your time. The quantity of information available to us can be overwhelming. But, if you use it wisely, it can be the key to virtually any kind of planning.

      

Unicorns have a Plan B. And maybe even a Plan C and D.

      Sometimes you have to be so flexible that you scrap nearly all of your plan, and, if you’re like me, the thought is terrifying. Having an alternate plan means you don’t have to worry if things go a little sideways.

      Those back-up plans don’t have to be as exhaustive as Plan A. A secondary strategy can be as simple as an alternate restaurant or hotel, a second available day or time, a replacement companion or emergency contact—anything that will keep things leading to your end game, even if the path there is an alternate one.

      That Unicorn finds comfort in planning, so if planning is making you crazy, you’re going too far. Trust me. Excellent planning (including great Plan B planning) can be about little more than lists. But they are lists that keep your mind from spinning and allow you to use your brainpower for fun stuff instead.

      

Unicorns expect disaster.

      They say you can’t plan for the unexpected. I don’t think that’s entirely true. You might not be able to prepare for the specific issue that might arise, but you can plan how you will respond if something comes up. For example, if something dramatically interrupts the plan, I can also call so-and-so, go to (fill-in-the-blank), reschedule, or the like.

      The thing you can always count on is something that you didn’t count on happening, especially if kids or animals or weather or travel are involved. Unless the only thing the plan needs is you, you should be prepared to welcome disaster like an old friend.

      When you expect something to throw you off course, it will surprise you how much less it actually does disrupt you. Sure, there are disasters from which there is no recovery. Some plans get obliterated. There are situations where nothing is what it was supposed to be, and all is basically lost. But those things are outliers. That Unicorn is ready for anything short of that.

      

Unicorns know it’s not about the plan.

      That Unicorn always remembers that the plan is the means and not the end. It’s that attachment thing again. If you are too attached to the plan, you lose sight of the end game, and you have a far better chance of ending up woefully disappointed. But if you remember that the plan is just a plan, you are sure to fare far better.