The Practice of Preparation | Aligning effort with purpose
Editor’s Note
Here in Texas, fall comes in hints — a softer sun, a little less glare in the afternoon. It’s not a dramatic shift, but it’s enough to notice if you’re paying attention. And maybe some cooler mornings, if we are lucky.
This week’s focus is on preparation. The kind that doesn’t shout or rush. The kind that happens when we slow down just enough to align effort with purpose.
Preparation isn’t just getting ready for what’s next. It’s the quiet practice of living ready.
Featured Story
~ When the Moment Arrives ~
The moment always comes faster than you think. One second you’re rehearsing in your head; the next, it’s real. There’s no pause, no
countdown. The moment doesn’t wait for readiness — it reveals it.
By the time it arrives, the work has already been done… or it hasn’t. We’ve all experienced both kinds of moments. Those times when you feel prepared for whatever comes, and those times when you sense the panic of not knowing whether you are. All those small, unseen choices show up in our response.
I remember bending down to tighten the strap of my binding before my wife and I moved closer to the ski lift. There was a tightness in my chest — a mix of excitement and insecurity before that first run of the trip.
Readiness isn’t a surge of adrenaline; it’s a posture. It’s the body saying, We’ve been here before. Readiness takes preparation. Preparation takes honest assessment — physically, mentally, and spiritually. To be ready, and to stay ready, means you’ve faced your weaknesses head-on.
We all need continual improvement, as well as steady maintenance of the ground we’ve already won. Both require patience and humility. In my experience, it’s easier to maintain strength than to lose it and fight your way back. When I underestimate what a situation demands, complacency creeps in — and it always comes with a price.
The previous year’s trip proved that. Right before getting on the lift, I felt a surge of panic. That hollow sense that I wasn’t prepared and might get hurt. The anticipation of fun had turned into dysregulating fear.
Not this trip, though.
When the moment finally came, I didn’t have to reach for confidence — it was already in my muscles, my breath, my memory. I’d done the work. Whether it’s a new job, a match, or a mountain, you meet the moment best when your preparation has already been tested in quieter hours.
Snowboarding doesn’t necessarily get easier with time. We only go once, maybe twice a year — and we started in our forties. The trip that left me unprepared came after a long gap. I decided that next time would be different. I pinpointed my weaknesses — balance, hip fatigue, leg strength — and started working on them. I bought a longboard to train balance, built workouts to strengthen my lower body, and made readiness part of my rhythm.
The goal wasn’t perfection. It was simply to be ready enough that fear wouldn’t dictate the trip. Snowboarding isn’t cheap, and time away is limited. I didn’t want my lack of preparation to be the reason a trip went sideways.
Preparation doesn’t make life predictable, but it makes it inhabitable — and, in my case, a snowboarding trip far more enjoyable. Preparing for the future, for better health, for the next venture, allows you to meet the unpredictable with steadiness. The moment will always arrive, faster than we think. The only question is whether we’ve done the quiet work to meet it.
“Success is found in what you prepare when no one’s watching.”
“The Bridge” ~ Cactus World News
Bold, soaring, and resolute, “The Bridge” isn’t quiet — it’s the sound of stepping into what you’ve been preparing for. Its anthemic guitars and driving rhythm carry a sense of
purpose, a musical crossing from discipline into motion.
Listen on YouTube →
Atomic Habits ~ James Clear
Every transformation starts small. James Clear’s framework for incremental change reminds us that preparation doesn’t happen in bursts of motivation but through consistent,
deliberate practice. Laying out your gear or scheduling time isn’t busywork — it’s identity work.
Podcast: The Science of Sleep — Huberman Lab
Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman explores how sleep sets the stage for physical recovery, focus, and emotional balance. Preparation begins at night, long before the day starts.
You can’t fake readiness. It shows up in posture, breath, and presence. When you’re prepared, your body tells the truth before your words do.
Practice: Prepare one habit in advance.
Tonight, choose one simple act:
- Lay out your workout clothes.
- Prep your meals or hydration.
- Calendar-block your key hour of focus.
Preparation doesn’t guarantee perfection — it simply clears space for what matters.
Preparation isn’t about control or perfection; it’s about alignment. It’s what connects effort to purpose, and purpose to peace. The world rewards performance, but it’s preparation that restores us — the quiet readiness that lets us meet life with strength, calm, and trust.
As always, keep chasing your kangaroo.
Chase The Kangaroo 
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