evidence: Benjamin Franklin’s quote has it exactly right! If you have not made adequate preparations for your journey or project, you are unlikely to succeed. This presupposes, of course, that you have not identified your goal. [...] Franklin claimed that, "We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid." Said another way, Wise people learn from accidents and mistakes, their own as well as those of others. One of my rules in business is to always make a NEW mistake. Why would we intentionally continue to do something wrong that didn’t’ work? [...] People in business do not intend to fail and deciding not to prepare is a choice. Thoughtful and thorough preparation does not guarantee success. However, it does require your full attention and commitment and, you can chose to learn from, and build upon, your mistakes and failures.