24 Nov Present company neglected

If there’s time left on the clock, there’s still a chance. That’s one of the biggest fibs we tell ourselves. Unfortunately our procrastination has been reinforced over time – we have become adept at doing things last minute while still being moderately successful. And the more we succeed by waiting until the last minute, the more we believe it’s the best way to do things. Only it isn’t. Only rarely do we win games by throwing a Hail Mary, hitting a home run in the bottom of the 9^th or draining a last minute shot. More often than not, we miss badly and even our efforts go unnoticed. Purchasing a gift last-minute rarely fulfills the proper expectation of the giver or the receiver. The buyer is usually panicked into purchasing something (anything!) for that special someone, sometimes at a premium. The receiver wonders where or what the buyer was thinking at the time of purchase. Lose-lose for both parties.

It pays to be prepared. While delaying the search for a gift may seem to work for us today, it just delays even more pressure until tomorrow. Tomorrow the stakes are even higher, the key moment even closer. As we prepare, we notice a strong correlation between planning and performance. What price would you pay for more peace-of-mind?

The answer for most is collaboration. In our busy, plate-overflowing lives, we need some external help to seek, purchase and deliver the right gift at the right moment. That starts with inquiring early-on and taking note of what that special someone likes, talks about and even subtly points out as a possible gift idea. Finding the proper gift takes preparation. Tap into loved ones and use digital tools like Slow Hammerheads to help.

Just don’t wait.