By now, I'm sure the whole world has been following the aftermath of Hurricane Wilma in South Florida. Over 6 million people were without electricity, long gas lines and few stations operating. Water and ice were in short supply.

So, you may ask, how did Wilma treat me? Well, that's one relationship that can definitely be described as stormy and brief. She came into my life – and the lives of many others – with a passion and fury. She was not a good listening. She did whatever she wanted and it was mostly destructive. There is a happy side. She left within hours after paying a visit. I was able to look her right in the “eye” from my hotel room on the 7th floor of the Hampton Inn, downtown Fort Lauderdale.

First of all, I live about two miles from Fort Lauderdale Beach in a residential community. On Sunday, October 23rd, the reports came in that Wilma would pay Fort Lauderdale a visit around 8 am Monday morning. That is when I decided to check-in to the Hampton Inn which I considered very secure. As a precaution, I booked a room on north side of the building since we would get Wilma's wind from the south and then from the west. That's just how it happened.

On Monday morning at around 8 or 9 am the winds were starting to pick up. Since the hurricane passed through during the day, I was able to view the destruction. I saw debris flying through the air. I watched sign posts bending over or torn out of the ground. I watched big trees being uprooted and torn apart. One big tree that was uprooted found it's way on Andrews Avenue and was moving down the street at about 30 mph. It looked as if it were motorized while it ran a traffic light and two stop signs.

It's now Friday, October 28th. I still have no electricity though water began to work two days ago. There was no damage to the house where I live. However, just about all the trees are down. A friend, client and high school classmate, Kyle, siphoned off gas from his boat for my scooter. I am now sitting in the coffee shop Bon Jour Bakery which is right next to the Hotel Renaissance just over the 17th Street Causeway bridge which leads to the beach. Power came on here just yesterday evening. They've got wireless Internet access so I'm able to take care of work.

After any major event in our lives, the most important thing to do is to prepare an after action report as we call it in the military which looks at what we did right and what can be done better. Notice that both are focused on moving forward, not on what WAS done wrong. What was done right and what can be done better. That is the focus. Of course, in order to determine what can be done better, we must identify what was done wrong but that is not the focus of the report.

Key questions to ask are these:

• Did I do everything reasonably possible to prepare for a worst case scenario and reasonably reduce the risk to life or limb?
• Just what is the worst case scenario assuming that I do not die?
• Is how I prepare for a potential imminent catastrophe indicative of how I prepare for long-term life “catastrophes” in the areas of health (disease), finances, relationships, career, education and the higher purpose of life or the question about God?
• Can I find the courage to openly evaluate all areas of how I live in order to take charge and then design my life so that I lead it to the fullest to the benefit of others and myself?
• Will I now take the prepared “After Action Report” and now focus on the word “Action”? It's all about what can be reasonably accomplished. I've already answered the questions “What was done right?” and “What can be done better?” Now all I need is a timeline and action plan with tasks and subtasks.

Seven Ways to Put the Action in the After Action Report

1. Prepare a list of the tasks and subtasks necessary to implement the “What I can do better” on the After Action Report.
2. Assess and include people and things that are necessary.
3. Post your “What can be done better.” in plain view and tell others about what you are doing.
4. Crank up the determination “meter” and overcome inertia.
5. Be aware of the disease called complacency.
6. Go around, through or over all obstacles. The terrain of life has hills, valleys, rivers, gorges, drought, storms, fire and earthquakes.
7. If you don't “feel” like you can do it, pretend! The causes have been identified as worthy.

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