Chaos That Ensues From Not Having a Plan

[DISCLAIMER]

Over the years, when working with clients, I’ve advocated use of proper planning (the establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for personal, social, or economic success). Regarding this matter, I stated in a blogpost entitled The 6 P’s:

To live rationally, I attempt to properly plan—though I do so with understanding that rigidity of preparation isn’t in my best interest for goal attainment. Of course, there are alternatives to the 6 P’s [Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance].

For instance, one unconventional move in the opposite direction relates to misunderstanding of the late Alan Watts’ perspective. The speaker suggested:

Making plans for the future is of use only to people who are capable of living completely in the present, because when you make plans for the future and they mature, you are—if you can’t live in the present—you are not able to enjoy the future for which you have planned, because you will have in you a kind of syndrome whereby happiness consists in promises and not direct and immediate realizations, so long as you feel that tomorrow will come […] but everything is based on the idea, you see, that you will get it tomorrow and you can enjoy yourself today, so long as tomorrow looks bright.

But Confucius once said a man who understands the Dao in the morning can die contentedly in the evening. That is to say if you have ever lived one complete moment, you can be ready to die. You can say, “Well, that was it. That was the good—I’ve had it,” you see? But if you never live that complete moment, death is always a guy who, like, comes into a bar at two o’clock in the morning and says, “Time, gentlemen, please.” And you say, “Oh, please, one more drink. Not yet.”

I’ve heard some people miscomprehend Watts’ message by asserting that there’s no need to plan, because living in the moment is the only rational course of action. After all, tomorrow is an un-promised illusion; therefore, eat, drink, and be merry today, because tomorrow we may die.

With this profound proposition, one may as well never save money for the future, take preventative health measures, plan for one’s next meal, and so forth and so on. Misunderstanding Watts’ message can have profound consequences on one’s finite life cycle.

It’s with flexibility that I plan for an elusive future, as though I will live from one moment until the next. Otherwise, in the present, I can expect chaos (a state of utter confusion). When further contemplating this matter, I think of the psychotherapeutic modality that I practice.

As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy, this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman.

REBT uses unconditional life-acceptance (ULA) to grant the impermanence and uncertainty of life. With this outlook, today, I plan for tomorrow – something that may or may not come. In consideration of this view, authors of The Daily Stoic quote Seneca who stated (page 104):

Life without a design is erratic. As soon as one is in place, principles become necessary. I think you’ll concede that nothing is more shameful than uncertain and wavering conduct, and beating a cowardly retreat. This will happen in all our affairs unless we remove the faults that seize and detain our spirits, preventing them from pushing forward and making an all-out effort.

Flexibly, we can plan for tomorrow. Otherwise, like those who confuse the theme of Watts’s statement, chaos will befall us. Expanding upon this notion, authors of The Daily Stoic state (page 104):

It’s the chaos that ensues from not having a plan. Not because plans are perfect, but because people without plans—like a line of infantrymen without a strong leader—are much more likely to get overwhelmed and fall apart. The Super Bowl–winning coach Bill Walsh used to avoid this risk by scripting the beginning of his games.

“If you want to sleep at night before the game,” he said in a lecture on game planning, “have your first 25 plays established in your own mind the night before that. You can walk into the stadium and you can start the game without that stress factor.”

You’ll also be able to ignore a couple of early points or a surprise from your opponent. It’s irrelevant to you—you already have your marching orders. Don’t try to make it up on the fly. Have a plan.

In regard to having a plan, professional boxer Mike Tyson is credited with having stated, “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.” Later expounding upon this assertion, Tyson stated, “Yo, dude, sometimes they punch you back in the face.”

Whether planning for a future event, like Walsh, or flexibly navigating the impermanence and uncertainty of the present, like Tyson, I maintain that people recommendatorily should use proper planning as an antidote to chaos. Of course, chaos may result either way. That’s ULA!

In conclusion, I contemplate the lyrics of nu metal band Korn’s song “Chaos Lives in Everything”, featuring the electronic dance music (EDM) influence of Skrillex. Lyrics state:

So why must it be?

Chaos lives in everything

Trapped inside a dream

It all comes back to me

As a matter of truth about objective reality, chaos empirically must remain in everything. Delude yourself about this matter, if you will, and it’ll come back to you eventually. Why not at least offer yourself a chance for success when granting the chaos that ensues from not having a plan?

If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.

As the world’s foremost EDM-influenced REBT psychotherapist—promoting content related to EDM, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.

At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!

Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW

Photo credit (edited), fair use

References:

Bernardo Faria BJJ Fanatics. (2022, September 9). MIKE TYSON - Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://youtube.com/shorts/3QRVEL05BCQ?si=fgDdxBKfSexzwoV8

Daily Stoic. (n.d.). Translating the Stoics: An interview with “The Daily Stoic” co-author Stephen Hanselman. Retrieved from https://dailystoic.com/stephen-hanselman-interview/

Holiday, R. and Hanselman, S. (2016). The daily stoic: 366 meditations on wisdom, perseverance, and the art of living. Penguin Random House LLC. Retrieved from https://www.pdfdrive.com/the-daily-stoic-366-meditations-on-wisdom-perseverance-and-the-art-of-living-d61378067.html

Hollings, D. (2025, May 7). C is for contentment and that’s good enough for me. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/c-is-for-contentment-and-that-s-good-enough-for-me

Hollings, D. (2024, March 19). Consequences. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/consequences

Hollings, D. (2024, January 7). Delusion. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/delusion

Hollings, D. (2022, March 15). Disclaimer. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/disclaimer

Hollings, D. (2024, July 10). Empirical should beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/empirical-should-beliefs

Hollings, D. (2023, September 8). Fair use. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/fair-use

Hollings, D. (2024, May 17). Feeling better vs. getting better. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/feeling-better-vs-getting-better-1

Hollings, D. (2023, October 12). Get better. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/get-better

Hollings, D. (2024, April 13). Goals. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/goals

Hollings, D. (2024, August 27). Guilt and shame are choices. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/guilt-and-shame-are-choices

Hollings, D. (2024, September 24). Happy place. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/happy-place

Hollings, D. (n.d.). Hollings Therapy, LLC [Official website]. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/

Hollings, D. (2024, October 21). Impermanence and uncertainty. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/impermanence-and-uncertainty

Hollings, D. (2024, January 2). Interests and goals. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/interests-and-goals

Hollings, D. (2023, September 19). Life coaching. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/life-coaching

Hollings, D. (2023, September 3). On feelings. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/on-feelings

Hollings, D. (2023, April 24). On truth. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/on-truth

Hollings, D. (2024, April 4). Preventative maintenance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/preventative-maintenance

Hollings, D. (2024, May 26). Principles. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/principles

Hollings, D. (2023, September 15). Psychotherapeutic modalities. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/psychotherapeutic-modalities

Hollings, D. (2024, May 5). Psychotherapist. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/psychotherapist

Hollings, D. (2022, March 24). Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rational-emotive-behavior-therapy-rebt

Hollings, D. (2024, May 15). Rational living. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rational-living

Hollings, D. (2024, July 10). Recommendatory should beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/recommendatory-should-beliefs

Hollings, D. (2024, January 4). Rigid vs. rigorous. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rigid-vs-rigorous

Hollings, D. (2024, April 21). Stoicism. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/stoicism

Hollings, D. (2024, March 7). The 6 P’s. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-6-p-s

Hollings, D. (2025, February 28). To try is my goal. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/to-try-is-my-goal

Hollings, D. (2023, March 11). Unconditional life-acceptance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/unconditional-life-acceptance

Hollings, D. (2025, March 11). We live in an imperfect world. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/we-live-in-an-imperfect-world

Keren, G. B. (n.d.). Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face. Krav Maga Yashir. Retrieved from https://www.bostonkravmaga.com/blog/self-defense/everybody-has-a-plan-until-they-get-punched-in-the-face.html

Korn. (2012, April 7). Korn - Chaos Lives in Everything featuring Skrillex music video [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/fYoXUpP_4RM?si=0YmUWlpjh5Y5W3Jj

Morsels of Wisdom. (2023, March 1). Making plans for the future - Alan Watts [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/jzcruExlFFI?si=ClOfSGBHxx6XvM7c

Piten. (n.d.). Hand painted abstract art background [Image]. Freepik. Retrieved from https://www.freepik.com/premium-photo/hand-painted-abstract-art-background_49022942.htm#fromView=search&page=2&position=33&uuid=e7b44fb5-9956-4806-bbae-f8273518378a&query=chaos

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Alan Watts. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Watts

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Bill Walsh. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Walsh

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Confucius. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucius

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Korn. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korn

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Mike Tyson. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Tyson

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Nu metal. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nu_metal

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Ryan Holiday. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Holiday

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Seneca the Younger. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seneca_the_Younger

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Skrillex. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skrillex

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Tao. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tao