Cursory Preparation: The Perils of Doing Just Enough to Get By

Let’s talk about cursory preparation. It’s a slight step up from winging it, but not by much. This kind of preparation is shallow, rushed, and often incomplete. Sure, you’re doing more than nothing, but if you take a closer look, you’ll notice the substance just isn’t there.

Remember back in school when you forgot to do your homework? You’d scribble down some answers on the bus, hoping the teacher wouldn’t notice the poor quality of your work—or the questions you skipped entirely. That’s cursory preparation in a nutshell. It’s about doing just enough to avoid getting into trouble or feeling embarrassed about not being prepared at all.

The irony is, though, that cursory preparation often backfires. If you get called out for your sloppy, half-hearted efforts, you can end up looking even more foolish than if you hadn’t prepared at all. It’s a risky game to play, especially when the stakes are high.

Now, I’m willing to bet that most of you reading this already do better than cursory preparation in most areas of your life. But if you find yourself slipping into this habit, it’s time to take action. The good news is that by committing to improve, you can quickly level up your preparation game and start seeing better results.

The Results of Cursory Preparation:

Here’s the thing—cursory preparation leads to hit-or-miss outcomes. Sometimes, you might get lucky and score a “hit” by preparing for the right thing. But more often than not, you’ll miss the mark. Consistency is key to success, and cursory preparation just doesn’t cut it.

Think about a few times in your life when you really felt the sting of not being prepared. Why do you think it happened? Reflect on this question and consider how you can shift from cursory to more thorough preparation. By taking this step, you’ll move closer to consistent success and away from the unpredictability of hit-or-miss results.