When I was young, I ran track.

In fact, I was a sprinter.

In track and field, the instructions “on your mark,” “get set” and “go” each outlined different parts of the preparation process.

And since I’ve been in the middle of one preparation process or another over the past few weeks (gigs, job interviews, going to ITALY!), I thought I’d take a look at a once familiar process for getting ready.

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“On your marks” means it is time to start getting down into the blocks. The time for stretches, knee bends and psyching out your competition is over and you have to narrow your focus to getting down the lane as fast as you can.

(It’s interesting that in order to get into the blocks properly, a sprinter steps past the starting line and then backs into the block.)

“Get set” means the next thing that happens is sprinting down your lane. You raise the hips, lean forward and getting ready to drive the body out of the blocks using your bent leg.

The goal is to become a coiled a spring.

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I’m a coiled spring alright. *wry grin*

The problem is that none of my energy is focused.

My friend Debbie Duncan says about stage fright, “It’s all just energy. It can help you or it can hurt you.” In other words, you get to decide if you’ll use the energy or if the energy is going to use you.

(In case you couldn’t tell, the energy has been using me.)

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The problem is that I haven’t been able to prepare in the way I want to prepare. (My sister just moved and she shared the same sentiment.)

No hours spent researching my destination, creating color-coded, cross-referenced packing lists, or learning about the local flora and fauna. No weeks spent taking a crash course in Italian. No single free weekend to take one last “do I have everything?” errand run.

So I didn’t get to prepare the way I wanted, but … (and here’s another deep insight from the Songtaneous blog)

Sometimes you have to move forward whether or not you’re ready.

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Fortunately (as this weekend’s gig at the Artists’ Quarter proved), there’s a difference between feeling ready and being ready.

In my ideal world, I would have had a firmer grasp on the words and notes for a couple of the tunes we performed this weekend.

It’s not that I was un-prepared, I just didn’t feel quite … ready. But Friday night came and I was on stage and you know what?

I was ready.

I’d prepared enough.

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So I’m setting a goal to be “ready enough” to leave for Italy this week.

On my mark, get set …

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Note: Remember no blog posts from me for a couple of weeks. If you miss me, please peruse the archives. *smile*