Confucius on the Importance of Business Planning

By Taylor Johnson

Business plans have surprisingly become a polarizing subject among entrepreneurs. Some claim that business plans have become outdated and are no longer necessary for those looking to start a business. While this argument may hold some weight, it overlooks the main purpose of writing a plan.

The value of writing a business plan is in the process. Working through each chapter of a plan allows you to flush out your ideas and evaluate each area of your business. But you don’t have to take my word for it. Some of the most influential figures in history have expressed the power of a plan.

These five quotes provide valuable lessons for new entrepreneurs on the importance of having a plan.

Importance of a business plan

“A man who does not think and plan long ahead will find trouble right at his door.”—Confucius

New entrepreneurs should heed the words of the wise Chinese philosopher. A lot of Confucius’s philosophies can be applied to common business practices.

Even when everything seemed to be going well, Confucius advocated that a plan for the worst-case scenario was necessary. The message in his quote above is a simple, but important one. If you do not come up with a strategy for the future, your company will certainly encounter overwhelming obstacles that, without preparation, may be impossible to overcome.

“In preparing for battle, I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.”—Dwight D. Eisenhower

As the man responsible for creating the major war plans to defeat Japan and Germany, President Dwight D. Eisenhower knows a thing or two about the importance of planning. While starting a business may not include bombs and destruction (at least I hope yours doesn’t), it can at times feel like you are at war.

Eisenhower’s quotes speak to the criticisms of business plans. While the document itself may not take your company to fame and fortune, the work you put in to craft it will undoubtedly be vital to boosting your odds of building a profitable business.

“It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.”—Eleanor Roosevelt

Many people forget that the former First Lady had an active role in business during her tenure at the White House. As a member of the Women’s Trade Union League, Eleanor Roosevelt raised funds to support women workers, a minimum wage, and the abolition of child labor.

Her quote should be used as motivation to stop dreaming about your goals, and instead to actually get to work on transforming those dreams into an actionable plan. It’s great to have a cool idea for a business, but without action, your idea will always just be a fantasy.

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“I have always thought that one man of tolerable abilities may work great changes, and accomplish great affairs among mankind, if he first forms a good plan, and, cutting off all amusements or other employments that would divert his attention, make the execution of that same plan his sole study and business.”—Benjamin Franklin

On top of being an author, a politician, an inventor, and a diplomat, Benjamin Franklin was also a seasoned entrepreneur. At the ripe age of 22 he opened his own print shop and later became the official printer for Pennsylvania.

Franklin’s quote is significant because it emphasizes the need to free of distractions when planning your business strategy. If you are serious about starting a business, then it is crucial that you cut out the distractions and make business development your sole focus.

“A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow.”—George S. Patton

Like his mentor Dwight D. Eisenhower, George Patton’s career heavily depended on clever maneuvering and strategizing. The entrepreneurial lesson from Patton’s quote is not to strive for a perfect plan. Aiming for a perfect plan almost always turns out to be a waste of time.

Many new entrepreneurs don’t realize that no matter what they do or how much time they spend, their business plans will not be perfect.

Your business plan is more than a document

If these quotes aren’t enough to convince you to develop a plan for your business, then you will likely learn it the hard way.

Just remember that your business plan is about more than having a neat looking document; a business plan allows you to consider every aspect of your business and establish a starting point from which to measure your future progress.

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