“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I’ll spend the first four hours sharpening the axe”

So said Abraham Lincoln, the owner of history’s most impressive beard.

And while Abe was clearly a fan of preparation, I need to level with you dear reader.

I’m not so sure.  

See, I’ve found preparation to be overrated.

For me, preparation was often the thing that took a fun experience and turned it into a chore.   

And, in some cases, actually caused me to fail instead of succeed.

Here’s why: 

1. Preparation isn’t preparation if it’s procrastination in disguise (i.e. taking 6 hours to cut down a tree when you can cut it down in 2 hours)

2. Preparation is a great way to take any worry, stress or anxiety and make these feelings even more prolonged and intense (i.e. spending 4 hours worrying and 2 hours chopping the tree instead of just 2 hours chopping)

3. All that time and energy spent on preparation could be time and energy spent doing the very thing you’re preparing for (i.e. cutting down 3 trees in 6 hours)

4. Preparation reduces the chance of serendipity which comes with NOT being prepared and just generally going with the flow (i.e. starting to chop the tree, discovering it’s rotten and you can “chop” it by just giving it a gentle push)

5. You can never fully prepare for anything.  There will always be unexpected events or twists from left-field (i.e. finding the tree-trunk is unusually tough & knotted so your 4 hour prep session – which didn’t anticipate this – has gone straight out the window)

6. The more you prepare, the less you’re using your in the moment, responsive, inner wisdom to guide you (i.e. making the first blow with the axe, and noticing the result.  Then trying a different angle, position or swing.  And seeing what works.  And adapting and trying things as you go, and using this same responsive, adaptive power for the next tree, and the next tree, and so on…)

Based on all this, I struggle to see how preparation can come anywhere close to the benefits of just getting going.

Goes to show: 

There is certainly merit in not preparing.  

And more to the point, merit in getting more comfortable with not preparing.

And if you agree and you’d like to get more comfortable just showing up, seeing what happens and going with the flow, you might like to check out Ocean Kiani’s program Unfold.  

I’ve been promoting the program this week.

And before anyone asks:

No, you can’t prepare for it (that’s kind of the point!)

See, Unfold isn’t your standard wellness or personal development program.

Instead, the program incorporates a range of tools like movement, improv, play and mindfulness.  

All to help you develop a sense of calm, get you out of your head and into your body, and help you go from “doing” mode to “being” mode.

And you know what?  I think Ocean’s program sounds awesome.

Which is why I wanted to share it with you.

If you want to check it out, here’s the link:

https://unfoldout.com

Now, you might be wondering how much this program costs.

When I chatted with Ocean, I thought she’d say the price would be at least $1,000.

See, the way the program unfolds is based 100% on who signs up.  The heart of the program is how personalised it is.

Another way of saying this is that by joining Unfold, you’re shaping the very nature of the program in a way that means you'll get the most out of it.  Not someone else.

If I’m being honest, I think $1,000 would be a steal for such a tailored, customised program.

But to my surprise, Ocean set the cost at just $500.  Which really is awesome value for what the program offers.

And if $500 is a stretch, you can split payment into two instalments.

But that’s not all…

I asked Ocean if there’s anything she can do for people on this newsletter.  

And she said yes.

Ocean’s agreed to an additional discount just for you guys.  The first three people who sign up to Unfold using the discount code BLOOMING10 will save $50.  

So the program will cost just $450 for the first three people who sign up.

And to sweeten the pie even more, I’ve added two of my own bonuses into the mix.

I’m running two special, standalone webinars for anyone who signs up for Unfold before 1pm PT/4pm ET/8pm GMT/10pm CET on Thursday 20th July:

Webinar 1:  Wisdom on Demand.  This webinar will explore how you can relieve stress, make impossible decisions feel painless and move through life with more ease and flow using your own innate inner wisdom.  We’ll dive into what I mean by “inner wisdom”, and how you can find it, use it and trust it

Webinar 2:  Peace amid Pressure.  We’ll talk about how to avoid turning events into problems and problems into catastrophes.  And I’ll be sharing my thoughts on how to stay calm and clear when life gets tough or throws you a curveball

To claim your spot on these webinars, all you need to do is forward me your Unfold receipt by 1pm PT/4pm ET/8pm GMT/10pm CET on Thursday 20th July.  

Once you do that, I’ll sign you straight up to the bonus webinars.

But you need to email me your receipt by the deadline.  After the deadline, the two bonus webinars will be gone.

So if you’re interested in Unfold, here’s where you can get the details:

https://unfoldout.com

And if you have any questions, just hit reply and let me know.

 - Tom