One of the keys to handling anything in life is to be prepared.  As Ben Franklin said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”

For me, cancer surgery was a game-changer. Post-surgery; I felt like I had been run over by an 18-wheeler. I was severely challenged, but was mentally prepared.

The anticipation of surgery was highly stressful, similar to the pre-race jitters of a triathlon swim.  The preparation before the race is what allows you to keep pushing on, knowing that you have done what you need to do to prepare. When the surprises and challenges come along in a race, you are better prepared to deal with them.  With that said, it is hard to prepare for a robotic prostatectomy.  The present can produce many difficult obstacles!  By setting goals, though, they provided long-term vision in my life.  We  all need powerful, long-range goals to help us get past the short-term obstacles.

Speaking of the unexpected events and circumstances in our lives, it may very well be that it is not the curve ball itself that surprises us, but it is the disappointment from our expectations not being fulfilled.

Being prepared includes setting goals.  After my cancer diagnosis, I set short, intermediate and long term goals.  When you set small goals, you will achieve more.  Whatever goals you may set, know that some goals are doomed to fail and that’s okay.  Failures are part of the process.  Sometimes goals don’t lead to what we expected.  It’s all part of the journey and we can learn from the tough situations in our lives.

About the blogger @TomHulsey

After Tom beat cancer and achieved his post-surgery goals, he turned his focus to education and advocacy.  He is a Board Member at ZERO The End of Prostate Cancer,  volunteers at the Baylor Scott & White Cancer Health & Wellness Center, and a Reviewer for the DoD’s (Department of Defense) Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs.   He is the author of the soon-to-be  released book, THE WINNING MINDSET THAT SAVED MY LIFE. Net proceeds from book sales will be donated to cancer research.