A mentor told me something years ago I've never forgotten.

"If you stay ready, you don't have to get ready."

I volunteer as a lector at our church. Just like a work schedule where your manager tells you when you're on, the organizer sends out a calendar, and you show up to read the time and date when your name is on it.

One Sunday morning, my name wasn't on the schedule. But when the moment came for the lector to stand up and read at Mass, nobody moved. The scheduled reader wasn't there. So, in a quick decision, I got up and did it.

I'm not sharing that to brag. I'm sharing it because I didn't wing it. I had read the readings that morning. I was dressed the way I normally dress when I'm scheduled, sport coat and all. It was an easy decision to step up because I had stayed ready even when I didn't know if I'd be called upon.

Staying ready is how you make sure you can actually deliver when the moment comes.

Think about it like a backup quarterback in the NFL. Most Sundays, they never see the field. But all it takes is one play, one injury, one moment, and they get the call. The ones who stay ready are the ones who make the most of it when it comes.

It's easy to prepare when you know your number is being called. It's a different thing entirely to stay sharp when you have no idea if it will be.

So here's the question. If your number got called today, would you be ready?

P.S. The Optimistic Outlook is a Podcast! Leaving a rating or review wherever you listen to podcasts would mean a lot.