evidence: How many of you have heard the famous Benjamin Franklin quote, "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail?" [...] One thing I’ve learned from both failing to prepare and being prepared at pivotal times in my life is that life presents us with limited windows of opportunity. These windows may never come again. Many are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. There are windows that will swing open, and if you’re not ready at that moment, you have to bite the bullet and accept it as a missed opportunity. [...] Whether I view my life as an athlete or in the business arena, preparation makes all the difference. Preparing for a game and studying your opponent are necessary in order to win. If you don’t know your opponents’ strengths, you’re going to come out blindly, hoping that your skill level will outweigh theirs. True champions do more than that. They don’t gamble on their skill level. They combine it with diligent preparation. It’s important to note that failing to prepare is a form of preparation, albeit not the kind we prefer.