GMC News

Georgia Military College Prep School

Word of the Week: Foresight

Week of October 4 – 10, 2015
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Definition: knowledge or insight gained by or as by looking forward; a view of the future.

Quotable Quotes:
“The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.” – John F. Kennedy

“If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people.” – Chinese Proverb

“Fear is the mother of foresight.” – Thomas Hardy

“May you have the hindsight to know where you’ve been, the foresight to know where you are going, and the insight to know when you have gone too far.” – Irish Blessing

Let’s Get to the Point:
I would suspect there are very few of us who do not use foresight in our daily lives if not at work, then home, or especially in our retirement planning.  If we do not use this trait, then sometime in the near future, we will be in BIG trouble.  When doing a project around the house or at work, we must use foresight to make sure it is accomplished to the best of our ability and not just done on the fly.  Too many times we don’t use foresight in our planning and in turn do not get the results we want.

Putting Words into Action:
Foresight is a trait we should use so we don’t repeat mistakes we have made in the past.  When planning for a future event, one must plan for the worst and hope for the best.  If you are going on a picnic to the Greenway, do you account for bad weather and have a backup plan?  Do you pack something for the mosquitos and ants?  How about something to sit on?  Did you remember ice for the cooler?  Foresight partnered with experience provides the foundation for a memorable outing.    

Think About It:

The use of this trait makes everyone’s lives easier.  We use it at holidays and  gatherings to prevent anguish and strife amongst our guests.  But when we don’t,  then we are liable to make the same mistakes we did before.  I mean how many  times did Santa forget to leave batteries on Christmas Day?  Only once I would  guess.

Reflection

Life is all about making choices. Making the right choice at the right time is very important. However, there are times when the person knows immediately whether the choice they made was the right one. Nevertheless, living with the choice one makes and dealing with it is more important than being right or wrong.

Foresight is the virtue of being able to predict what may happen in the future based on prior knowledge or what will be needed in the future. With foresight, one can interpret what choices a person needs to make in order to trigger the most favorable outcome in the near or distance future. Think about it.  If you are about to undertake a building project around the house, you will write out a plan.  Within that plan, you will have a materials list and an idea of how you are going to build it.  If you don’t then you will definitely be making multiple trips to the hardware store!

A person’s true destiny is not always set in stone and can be ultimately changed based on present decisions. It all depends on one’s actions and judgment of their situations. There are an infinite number of futures that offer an infinite number of opportunities.  A bright or bleak future is dependent on me and the foresight I use.  If I do not study for my semester exams, my first choice of college could be in jeopardy because I did not use this trait in my preparation.  And if I do not get into the college of my choosing, then I may not be afforded certain opportunities.  I know through my own experiences that if I use foresight in my planning and in my decision making that the outcome will be what I am hoping for.

C/MAJ Mark McCabe is a student at Georgia Military College Prep School