At 8:58 p.m. on Wednesday, October 20, 2016 I got a call on my mobile phone from Amanda, our oldest son Luke's wife.

She never calls me.

She had just gotten a call that Luke had been in a terrible car accident.  She was on her way to the scene now.  She did not know what condition he was in, but felt I should know.

That's a call you do not want to get. But I'd rather get the call, than not know.

Luke is in his 10^th year with the Los Angeles City Fire Department.  He was driving to his home in Central California after a training day.  He was within a few miles of home when a guy ran a stop sign and "T-boned" him

A "T-bone" is when two cars collide and form a "T."  This guy was driving a Dodge Grand Caravan.  Luke is alive today because the impact point on his Saturn caught enough of the frame of his car that comes down at the front of the driver's door.  If the other driver had hit Luke's car one foot more in the center of his driver's door, then Luke might have been killed.  (Yes, that is an actual photo of the wreck above.)

That evening Luke had no memory of the accident.  As a matter of fact, he did not even know what day it was.  He still has no memory of the accident, but has been able to assemble the facts of what happened through skid marks, the location of the wreck, and other facts.

We are extremely thankful that Luke did not have any broken bones or internal bleeding.  He has a nasty scar on his left temple, and has had other injuries that have kept him from returning to work.  However, he is alive and hopefully, will mostly heal.

This wasn't the plan Luke had that night.

Our plans can be compared to rock climbing.  Each move is planned.  Each grip carefully grabbed.  Every pinion methodically hammered in...  yet the unexpected happens.

What can you do when you have a plan, but something totally unforeseen occurs? Something where certain parts of your life can never be experienced again, and maybe you have to fight to hold on to what is left?

When "it wasn't the plan" occurs, DISRUPTION occurs.

EXAMPLE #1:  Perhaps you planned for significant growth in 2016 but it did not happen.

DISRUPTION:  Other plans are put on hold.  The question is, what will you do differently in 2017 so the mistakes of 2016 and earlier are less likely to be repeated?

EXAMPLE #2:  A top employee quits to work for another company.  He or she felt unappreciated in your organization or the other firm offers more growth.

DISRUPTION:  You have to find a replacement, which takes time, money, and risk (that your hiring decision will be correct - the new person you hire can perform at a similar level.)  What will you do differently as a leader to keep your employees more fully engaged and employed at your company longer?

EXAMPLE #3:  You lose a major Client or funding "commitment."

DISRUPTION:  You have to plan and methodically replace that revenue or funding.  If you scramble, you may make mistakes that cause more problems.  What will you do differently to make certain Clients stay with you, or funding commitments are REAL commitments?

EXAMPLE #4:  You get that call similar to the one I got about Luke, but maybe it is worse news.  Or maybe, just maybe, it's unexpectedly bad news about your health or someone hurts you physically.

My brother, Phil, was a strong, 6' 1" 205 pound electrician in excellent health.  At 49 years old he suddenly did not feel well and there seemed to be something in his chest or gut.  He went to the doctor.  He had leukemia.  No warning.  He gallantly fought a 13 year battle with the disease and died on February 13, 2014.

WHAT'S MY POINT?
 
You'll never see disruption before it occurs. You only get to live this year once. Do not live 2017 like you lived 2016.  Do it better.

Most people cannot comprehend this message.  They understand the words, but fail to comprehend the meaning.

Make changes on your own.  Hire a coach.  Work with a spiritual mentor. Do it better.

Don't be a poster child for the theory of insanity:  "The definition of insanity is doing something over and over again and expecting a different result."  (Sometimes attributed to Albert Einstein, but apparently he was not the first to say it, or maybe never said it.)

How should you plan for 2017? Start by committing to not waste the year.  Commit to be better. Do you need another example of why this is important? Then try this…  Scroll down the Hope Heals | About Us webpage to watch their video.

The truth is you do not know what tomorrow will bring forth.  Too often we hear someone boasting about what they will achieve or encouraging others to embrace the meaning of achieving some lofty goal for a new year.

Oftentimes those goals are fun to achieve.  Even meaningful. Then again, other times they are only a diversion.  A goal can be another lost year down Selfish Street or Distraction Drive.

Before you go driving down your 2017 road, first look in your rearview mirror. What did you leave behind last year that was under your control?

• A relationship?
• Your health?
• A meaningful goal that got crowded out by less important activities?

Or did something happen to you, or someone you appreciate, that was out of your / their control? Do not try to vindicate yourself this year.

If you sincerely want a better year, then you have to be intentional and disciplined.  You have to apply what you can learn from last year, rather than just race ahead.

Tenacity is applying what you learned and then keep trying.  Persistence is just to keep trying.  Notice the difference?  Choose to be tenacious.

Do not allow others to scream their selfish needs into your calendar and crowd out your meaningful life any more.

When you spend money, it is gone forever.  You traded it for a momentary pleasure.  In contrast, when you wisely invest money it goes to work for you.

Stop spending time foolishly.  You will never be this age again.

Decide how to invest your time in 2017 in ways that enable you to focus on what is truly most important. While you can.

P.S.  Thank you Katherine and Jay Wolf for reminding us that Hope Heals!