I tell this story to illustrate the truth of the statement I heard long ago in the Army: Plans are worthless, but planning is everything. There is a very great distinction because when you are planning for an emergency you must start with this one thing: the very definition of "emergency" is that it is unexpected, therefore it is not going to happen the way you are planning.

In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.

In preparing for battle, I have always found that plans are useless but planning is indispensable.

No battle was ever won according to plan, but no battle was ever won without one.. Plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.

The process of planning is very valuable, for forcing you to think hard about what you are doing, but the actual plan that results from it is probably useless

Planning is important, but the most important part of every plan is to plan on the plan not going according to plan.

I have always found plans usless, but planning indispensible

Dwight Eisenhower, that in war, before the battle is joined, plans are everything, but once the shooting begins, plans are worthless.

The most important part of every plan is planning on your plan not going according to plan.

The real problem isn't planning. It's that we take our plans to be something they aren't. What we forget, or can't bear to confront, is that, in the words of the American meditation teacher Joseph Goldstein, "a plan is just a thought." We treat our plans as though they are a lasso, thrown from the present around the future, in order to bring it under our command. But all a plan is — all it could ever possibly be — is a present-moment statement of intent. It's an expression of your current thoughts about how you'd ideally like to deploy your modest influence over the future. The future, of course, is under no obligation to comply.

If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!

In fact, the most important part of every plan is planning on your plan not going according to plan. Now, let me show you how this applies to you.

Failing to plan is planning to fail. Plan Each Day, Each Week, Each Semester. You can always change your plan, but only once you have one!

You won't get anything done by planning.