The Ant and the King
Thousands of years ago, one of the wisest men who ever lived pointed people toward an ant.
Not a lion.
Not an eagle.
Not a king.
An ant.
It’s a strange choice until you stop and think about what ants actually do.
They work.
They prepare.
They persist.
And perhaps most importantly, they prepare for seasons that have not yet arrived.
Thinking About Winter
Jim Rohn used to talk about the philosophy of the ant.
One of his observations was simple:
Ants think winter all summer.
While conditions are good, they prepare for the season ahead.
They gather food.
They build reserves.
They don’t assume the good times will last forever.
There is wisdom in that.
Because human beings often do the opposite.
When life is good, we become comfortable.
When money is flowing, we stop saving.
When we’re healthy, we stop looking after ourselves.
When relationships are strong, we stop investing in them.
We prepare least when preparation is easiest.
Preparing Before You Need To
The best time to prepare is before you need the preparation.
Fitness is preparation.
You don’t build strength after life becomes difficult.
You build it beforehand.
Savings are preparation.
You don’t create financial security after the emergency arrives.
You create it beforehand.
Skills are preparation.
You don’t learn everything during the crisis.
You learn before the crisis arrives.
The ant understands this.
Preparation is not a reaction.
It is a habit.
Summer Returns
Rohn also pointed out that ants think summer all winter.
While they prepare for difficult seasons, they also understand that difficult seasons eventually pass.
That matters.
Because life moves in cycles.
There are seasons of growth.
Seasons of challenge.
Seasons of opportunity.
Seasons of hardship.
The person who prepares during the good times and remains hopeful during the difficult times tends to do well over the long term.
The OFB Lesson
One of the goals of OFB is preparation.
Not perfection.
Preparation.
Preparing your body through training.
Preparing your finances through discipline.
Preparing your future through consistent action.
Preparing your network through strong friendships and relationships.
Most people wait until winter arrives before they start preparing.
The ant starts long before that.
That’s the lesson.
Consider the Ant
The world has changed a lot since the days of King Solomon.
Technology has changed.
Work has changed.
Communication has changed.
Human nature hasn’t.
Thousands of years later, the lesson remains the same.
Work.
Prepare.
Gather what you can.
Think ahead.
Then do it again tomorrow.
If you want a structure designed around long-term preparation, take a look at The Plan.
Work full time at your job; while you work part time on your fortune.