Written by: Brenda K. Johnson, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
That was military jump school for me. The first week is 'ground' week when all you do is run. They want to make sure that your legs are strong. The next week is tower week. You are also learning about parachutes and your equipment. When you start climbing up into the tower and hooking up to a cable and sliding down. Then up onto the airplane, we go. Once in the airplane, you hook up to the cable as we did during Tower week. My prayer was to land like on pillows and all my landings were soft.
On the third jump, this soldier was sitting in the back of the plane. I said to him, "come on and hook up." He said no. I tried and tried to convince him to hook up to the cable. He refused. He did not jump. After having completed two jumps, he was petrified and did not complete the third jump. He was willing to take a military court-martial rather than jump again. I finished. I am Airborne qualified with my wings!
That moment has stayed with me for years. So, I jump. Because if I don't jump it won't happen. Are you jumping? Are you doing what you need to do whatever the life circumstances at the time may be to build your business? Because it is never a good time. A better time. The time is now. The moment is now.
Jump. Build your business now. Grow your business now. Otherwise, it may not happen. You are strong. You are amazing. You are powerful. You can do it.
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Ground Week
In the military at jump school, the ground week is the preparation week. It is the time that you prepare your mind, body and mental stamina to be ready for what is ahead of you.
Ground week for your business could be preparation for a major change, a new procedure for an event. This ground week may last a month or several weeks allowing time for you and your team to be ready for the processes ahead.
You could use this time to write a business plan, create banners for an event, or draft the documents in order to proceed ahead with the clarity necessary for a clear roadmap. Many times, I have missed or overlooked this critical step and found myself not truly ready. Either jumping ahead and not even realizing the importance of the pre-planning stage or moving so quickly like a car running a red light and then suffering the consequences. The reason I can describe this vital step in the process is because I have missed it in the past and had, for example, low attendance at the event or left feeling like not enough preparation occurred. Have you ever had that happen? The feeling of something was missing? Or wish you would have prepared more in advance.
Let’s say you’re making a cake and you left out the baking powder and the cake did not brown. Or, making a repair on the chimney and you climb up the ladder shimmy over to the chimney, just to realize the tool bag was still down on the ground. Meaning you had to climb back down the ladder to get the tools and climb back up again. Only this time you forgot the screwdriver to take the chimney cap off. So, down the ladder again you go to get that tool, which was in the tool shed at the back of the house, and then by the time you climb back up the ladder it’s raining. Missing the earlier good weather, you push through to finish in the rain and now hail in order to finish the job. A job that may have taken only thirty minutes has now taken over an hour due to poor prior planning.
Ground week or planning week is an important element in the initial stage to overcome mishaps. Solid prior planning helps prevent forgetting vital details. After growing stronger from running all week in the ground week you are ready for the tower.
Tower Week
This is the week that you learn how to roll on the ground after you land to avoid breaking any bones.
And also, climbing up the tower ladder and getting used to the height. Another process learned within this week is hooking onto the cable at the top of the tower and practicing sliding down the rope to the ground. We rolled over and over and over until it became natural to stop, drop and roll. The practice was essential to safety. Wash, rinse, and repeat was a part of the process of learning. Tower week can be compared to several weeks or the week prior to the event, presentation, or submission of important documents in your business.
Stop. Drop. And roll. Is what we called it. Dropping properly to the ground in order not to be hurt when you roll. The drop and roll are very important so as to not hurt your legs by landing directly onto them with all your weight. Or, rolling incorrectly and hurting your arms or back. I was recently with an 82d Airborne trooper whose parachute did not open properly. He lost a leg and almost lost both legs. I use that terrible example for us to realize how vital each step in the process is to your success.
In your business, this could be the follow-up, put-it-all-together timeframe, check all your equipment, contact all the participants to ensure they are coming, and follow-ups of all kinds. There is always a surprise or two and unexpected situations because this is life and things happen. However, the more prepared we are in advance the less likely catastrophic situations can throw us off our game totally. Why, because we have attempted in this stage to prepare for any and all surprise situations and events. Something may still catch us off-guard, but not as it would have by not planning for a surprise at all would have stumped us.
This is time to have a backup plan. Or to be hooked to the tower cable as the backup just in case. Have a backup speaker, an extra headset, mic, or lights. Have a run-through of the event with all the major participants and make sure everyone involved knows the times they are needed and the locations where each person needs to be. I also recommend sending out the links early and ensuring that all your participant's links work. And also, the links for their invited guests work too, so they can get into the event. Otherwise, they will be calling you at the last minute telling you they cannot get into the event. And asking you to send them a new link for entrance. I can attest to the above because it just happened to me at an event that I was speaking at and my link did not work and none of my invited guests could get onto the event link either. It was disheartening and frantic at the last minute. And by the way, this was not my event. I was an invited participant.
All last-minute mishaps may not be avoided, however many can with prior planning.
Jump Week
The final week. Jump week. When all the practice on the ground and the tower is put to the test. By this point, at least for me, it felt natural. I was not afraid and it felt exciting. Why was I unafraid? Because I had prepared. They even prepare you for emergency situations. Thank goodness, I did not have one!
Up in the plane, we went. We hooked up to the cable that is at the top of the inside ceiling of the airplane and prepared to jump out of a ‘perfectly good airplane as they teasingly say. My heart was beating fast and I kept saying to myself, “I will land like on pillows”. And every jump was soft and flawless. Even the final jump, which was with combat equipment and thereby was much heavier when falling, and much faster than the prior four jumps. Nonetheless, I landed like on pillows. Just like my affirmations that I repeated over and over.
The final week of preparations is essential for our events or submission success. I recommend a run thru of the event and even a walkthrough with sound and technological equipment checks. Thereby, helping to prepare for any eventually. With paperwork submission deadlines, have someone else read the documents, proofread them and even edit the documents. Also, reading it out loud is another great way to hear how it sounds to your ears and the ears of others. Other eyes and ears on anything will always see or hear something that we may not hear or see because we are too close to the situation.
Jump now so when the time comes you will be prepared and not afraid to jump. Jump on a call with me today. Do not delay. I will help you prepare your business to make money with some keys to success that work. Using affirmations to clear out fear or money blockages is another tool for the tool bag. And I will provide you proof of how writing down your goals consistently, does make a difference in your business and life. Click Here!
Brenda K. Johnson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
BRENDA K. JOHNSON is a multi-focused retired U.S. Army Officer and businesswoman who has lived and worked internationally in both beautiful and dangerous locations. Brenda grew up in a single-parent home with a business-owning mother. She has volunteered with many veterans and prison reform organizations and currently is a board member for Keystone College in Pennsylvania. Coaching basketball for girls led to establishing a women’s basketball team for a College in Doha, Qatar. Brenda is a writer and motivational speaker.
Brenda K. Johnson is using her years of experience as a military training officer and business owner to write and share her professional heartfelt experiences as a co-author in Intuitive Living. Her chapter entitled “S + S = Success” elevates women leaders, providing them with the tools to achieve their ambitions. As the founder of the Powerful Women Business Academy, Brenda coaches and mentors women empowering women to live their business dreams and contribute to the world by assisting others.
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