Have you ever heard the analogy of being unprepared is like having an empty gas can when you arrive at any situation in your life? Have you ever heard, “Failure to plan on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part?” Arriving at the door of any business or challenge in life with a real or fictional empty gas can will lead to you being taken advantage of. At the gas station, fine, charging station, financial planner, funeral home, hospital, school board meeting, attorney’s office, and the list goes on and on.

Most of the people I have sat with over the past thirteen years have shared with me their knowledge that they were unprepared, that this was their own doing, and their feeling of stress because of lack of planning was one they participated in. Many people I have worked with or for over the past thirteen years shared their experience of sitting with more people than in years previous that are misinformed or did not plan for what was clearly coming. When a person arrives with an empty gas can the demand (need) is higher and it is this fact that leads to consumers overpaying for supply (choices perceived needed quickly). The business charges what they do because time has proved the consumer will have an empty gas can when they arrive. I believe it is not fair, and I also believe it is avoidable.

My experience growing up appeared to be more organized, disciplined, and structured by the adults in my life than it appears today from those that are my peers in their lives as the adults (parents, leaders). Adults, in my opinion, when I was growing up were more in charge, more together, on the same page, and less out of control for some reason. I did not feel those adults in my life showed up with an empty gas can often, if at all. My mother and father provided for the family, but, in my opinion, did not coddle me or my siblings. I knew I was not an adult within my family, and I knew this because of very simple things, like I did not get to drink coffee, sit at the adult table, or decide what was on the television. I believe this is how I learned about having a full gas can or how to be prepared before taking on a task like voting, being married, owning a home, or leading a team. Being an adult was something you felt challenged to do. Like a “real” job.

Today, I see more and more people struggle because they have an empty gas can. They arrive at any situation unprepared, unable, or are unwilling to provide the changes for themselves that they need. For example, not supporting your child learn a skilled trade, like automobile mechanic, electrical, plumbing, etc., you know something that will actually lead them to meet a need in society, putting food on the table for their family, in place of feeling useless, worse yet, being told they are useless for not going to a four year college or for not wanting to be an attorney, funeral director, homemaker, or business owner like dad or mom. Filling your gas can is not the same as me filling mine. We have lost this understanding in my opinion. The common goal was each person is responsible for filling their own gas can figuratively. It was your slice of America.

I am actually talking about achieving over failing because you define and only listen to your goals. I am talking about having common sense, a sense of faith, and a belief in authority over book learning. I am talking about owning your outcome over blaming others for shortcomings. I mean working at being an adult every day. Take charge, be informed, learn more every day, and never let anyone else determine your tomorrow. I believe the adults when I was growing up did not look at other adults to determine their way in life, define their way of raising their children, nor asked for acceptance from the neighbor regarding discipline, faith, and community. Adulthood was the gold medal, highest honor, and, to me, seemed to be almost innate for human beings to define growing up / getting older.

I never heard the adults in my life growing up say things like, “President … is the reason why we are struggling.” I never heard adults say, “If government would just do … our family will have a better future.” I think this is because both were not items me as a child needed to be engaged in. Your children do not need to be involved in this before adulthood either, in my opinion. My role as a child was to play, let adults be in charge, and just be a kid. As a child I just believed that all adults took being one as an achievement, a key job title to have, and somehow could just do it with ease. I believe this is why I have never seen my parents as the answer to my adult issues. If I want an education, then I do the work to earn it and I pay for it because it is my responsibility. If I want a car, a house, a successful marriage, then I do the work, with little to no input from my parents, to make those investments.

It is my belief that adults today enter most of their circumstances with an empty gas can. It is this reason why most adults can be manipulated, controlled, and coerced into group thought. Led by the media and forged by reality television. Because of this adults are seen by younger individuals as the problem makers and not the solvers. Adults lack knowledge, discipline, and control, like never before. I would encourage adults today to get back to leading, being in charge, providing the strong foundation (morals, values, and ethics) for yourselves and those watching you. You do this by getting you and your own home in order. Be informed like never before by knowing each side of every argument and their reasoning. Be willing to learn and continue to gain knowledge. Be committed to being prepared. Stop looking at your neighbor for approval. Stop letting your children be adults before they actually learn what it means to be one. Show them everyday that being an adult is a serious job, like none other. Finally, you rise to the job.