Why Plan B Might Be Holding You Back: Insights from My Keynote at the Holiday Bright Lights Event

Last week, I had the privilege of serving as the keynote speaker at the Holiday Bright Lights event. It was an incredible opportunity, and I dedicated a significant amount of time to preparation. The keynote itself lasted about 90 minutes, but the real work involved over 10 hours of study and planning.

This reminds me of a famous quote by Abraham Lincoln: “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the ax.” This wisdom is something we can all learn from. Often, we’re so focused on getting things done quickly that we neglect the importance of preparation. If we just take a step back and sharpen our ax—whether that means practicing, building SOPs, training, or following up with customers—we might find that there's a better, easier way to achieve our goals.

During my preparation, I jotted down a question in my notes: “What is your Plan B?” For many years, I was a Plan B guy. I’d try Plan A, and if it didn’t work, I’d fall back on Plan B. On one hand, having a backup plan can provide comfort; it allows you to pivot when things get tough. But on the other hand, I’ve come to realize that Plan B can also be the very thing that holds you back.

Why? Because the biggest enemy of Plan A is Plan B. When you know you have an exit strategy, your focus on Plan A diminishes. You’re not fully committed, and that lack of commitment can prevent you from finding success. But when you have no other option but to make Plan A work, you’re forced to survive, adapt, and innovate. With a Plan B in your back pocket, it’s easier to give up when things get tough.

This is not how successful people operate. The most successful individuals I know don’t rely on Plan B. If they do have one, their Plan B is simply to try Plan A again in a different way. This approach is crucial in any industry, including the lighting industry where I see people frequently shifting their focus when they struggle. For example, if leads for landscape lighting aren’t coming in, they might switch to permanent lighting or wait to cash in on holiday lighting.

But here’s the cheat code to success: Get rid of your Plan B! Put all your energy and focus into ensuring that Plan A works. If success were easy, everyone would achieve it. Instead of making excuses, go all in on yourself and your Plan A.

There’s too much at stake to settle for comfort. As someone wise once said, “You can either be wealthy or comfortable, but not both.” Success in entrepreneurship requires doing hard things—things that others aren’t willing to do. The path to success is never easy. It’s filled with doubt, obstacles, setbacks, and failures.

But here’s the cool part: You are in control. You get to choose which path you’re on. You can retreat to Plan B, C, or D, constantly changing lanes and chasing the next big thing that promises to make you rich. Or you can stay the course. When you encounter setbacks, don’t change your plan; change your approach. Adjust your trajectory, alter your angle, and keep moving forward.

Success is about iteration, not deviation. It’s about staying focused on your Plan A, sharpening your ax, and pushing through obstacles until you achieve your goals.

Keep moving forward!

— Ryan Lee

# Plan A, success strategies, entrepreneurship, keynote speaker, Holiday Bright Lights, goal setting, perseverance, business insights #