Chile Earthquake: The Lesson of Preparedness

Last night I fell asleep in my recliner, waking up about 2:00 am to the news flash of the powerful earthquake in Chile. Realizing that there wouldn’t be too much to report until later, I shut the T.V. off and went back to sleep.

As of now (2:35pm 2/27/2010) a much clearer picture has developed, and it offers a vivid example of the monolithic difference that being prepared for sets backs and catastrophes can make.

Recently, Haiti experienced a massive earthquake that measured 7.0 on the Richter scale, and, at this point, the body count exceeds 212,000. The population of Haiti is 9,035,536.

Last night, an earthquake measuring 8.8-500 times more powerful than the one that hit Haiti- blasted Chile. While it will be some time before a final body count is available, it currently stands at 122, and is not expected to increase significantly. The population of Chile is 16,601,707.

Now, before someone writes to inform me of the huge difference in economic stability between the two regions, rest assured that I am very much aware. With that being said, let’s examine a few key points.

Earthquakes are nothing new; they have been occurring for millions of years on planet earth, and can be expected to do so for many years to come. Experts had been warning of an earthquake in Haiti for years, as it was centered on top of the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault zone.

Earthquakes are certainly nothing new in Chile, either. In fact, Chile is the home of the world’s most powerful earthquake, one that measured a whopping 9.5 in 1960.
How can we account for the difference in deaths between Haiti and Chile? In a word, PREPARATION.

While it may be true that Haiti did not have the resources to prepare for earthquakes, it does not negate the fact that Chile was prepared, and Haiti, was not. This is the difference that made the difference.

You will recall, that on the first night, I spoke at length about the importance of planning for the events, that in the past had been set backs, or cause for deviating from your goal. Fortunately, when it comes to preparing adequately for long term weight loss, financial resources are seldom a problem. More often than not, the preparation ultimately comes down to engaging in the cognitive and mental planning, that, happily, is free for everyone’s use.

Have you taken the time to sit down with a notebook, and think clearly about the obstacles you have encountered in the past, and the potential obstacles you can expect to encounter in the future?

Then, have you developed a plan of action, for what you will immediately do if and when each of these potential “disasters” occurs?

Please, do not allow this to simply be an “information dump” each week. Get a notebook, a pen, and act like your long term weight loss adventure is as important as a wedding day.

Ironically, most people plan thoroughly for weeks, even months, for an event (wedding) that will last less than an hour. Most of those same people, however, have never devoted even 1/100th of the time to planning for their life.

If you are still around three weeks after the Mind Mastery for Long Term Weight Loss Series started, then I know you one on e of the rare few, who will actually apply what you are learning to make a lasting difference.

© Copyright 2010-Vincent Harris-All Rights Reserved.