You know planning ahead is critical to success, don’t you? You need to plan your week properly to get in your training, good nutrition and all of your work done. Today’s story is a classic that will remind us seasons change and we have to always be ready for them.

Aesop told the fable of an ant and grasshopper who lived in the same meadow. All summer long, the grasshopper would sing, dance and hop about, having a wonderful time.

Meanwhile, the ant worked diligently, gathering and storing grain for the winter.

“Stop and talk to me,” said the grasshopper. “We can sing some songs and dance a while.”

“Oh no,” said the ant. “Winter is coming. I am storing up food for the winter. I think you should do the same.”

“Oh, I can’t be bothered,” said the grasshopper. “Winter is a long time off. There is plenty of food.”

So the grasshopper continued to sing, dance and hop about and the ant continued to work diligently.

Inevitably, winter came, and the grasshopper had no food and was starving.

He went to the ant’s house and asked, “Can I have some wheat or maybe a few kernels of corn? Without it I will starve.”

“You danced last summer,” said the ant. “You can continue to dance.” And he closed the door without giving him any food.

So, Are you an ant or a grasshopper?

Are you working hard to prepare for the future, or are you living frivolously, assuming that the future will look after itself?

Are you continuing to learn, grow and develop, or do you mistakenly think that today’s skills will remain useful in the dynamic, ever-changing world that we live in?

“We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.”

Winter’s coming and you can’t avoid it, so start planning and get to work.