There was a day when I left my surgeon’s office believing there was no way forward.

After years of surgeries and chronic pain, he looked at me with compassion and simply said:

"I’m sorry. I wish there was something I could do to help."

I drove home devastated.

Then I opened a blank planning document.

For years, I believed what changed my life that afternoon was the plan I wrote.

Looking back, I think I was wrong.

I think it was the planning that began changing me.

Before my circumstances changed…

Before my pain changed…

Before my future changed…

Something inside me began changing.

In this PTBYB Live, we’ll explore one of the most meaningful discoveries I’ve made in fifty years of living with chronic pain:

Perhaps planning isn’t simply about organizing the future.

Perhaps planning is a restorative practice that helps us reconnect with hope, possibility, agency, and what remains true—even when life demands more.

We’ll explore questions such as:

• Why can planning calm us before anything has been solved?

• What changes inside us when we begin thinking about what remains possible?

• Can planning become a source of hope?

• How does planning help us reconnect with ourselves?

Whether you’re living with chronic pain, Grief, Caregiving responsibilities, uncertainty, or simply feeling overwhelmed, I hope you’ll join me for a thoughtful Discovery Conversation about what may be one of the most overlooked practices in resilience.

Friday, July 3
12:00 PM Eastern
Live on YouTube

PLAN TO BE YOUR BEST® helps people remain connected to who they are, what matters most, and what remains possible—even when life demands more.

Home

#PlanToBeYourBest #Resilience #Hope #ChronicPain #PersonalGrowth #MentalHealth #Leadership #Caregiving #Encouragement #MeaningfulAdaptation #PTBYB

Most Recent Episodes

July 2, 2026

Where Is Hope Hiding? | A Different Way to Think About Hope

What if hope isn't missing? What if it's simply waiting to be recognized? In this short excerpt from PTBYB Live, I explore one of the most meaningful discoveries we've made through PLAN TO BE YOUR...

Watch Now

June 26, 2026

Where Is Hope Hiding? | Recognizing Hope When Life Demands More | PTBYB Live

Where is hope hiding? When you're navigating chronic pain, grief, overwhelming Stress, caregiving responsibilities, or life's unexpected challenges, hope can feel distant—or even absent. In this...

Watch Now

June 20, 2026

What Are You Carrying That Most People Cannot See? | PTBYB Live

What are you carrying right now that most people cannot see? In this solo PTBYB Live, I explore a simple but powerful question that has become increasingly important throughout my own journey of...

Watch Now

Load More Episodes

Rick Cram Rick Cram — Plan To Be Your Best

Rick Cram is the creator and author of Plan To Be Your Best …As You Navigate Pain© and a Resilience Coach who helps you become the most resilient person you know. He lives by his guiding truth: “The level of pain must be matched by the level of intentionality.”

With a background as a communications expert and trained caregiver, Rick’s own journey—from a life-altering football injury, seven surgeries on his left knee, and decades of pain—taught him that resilience isn’t just surviving; it’s transforming. His signature method moves beyond mere endurance. Through three actionable steps—Tune In, Plan, and Be Your Best—integrated across the Eight Paths of Intentionality, Rick guides individuals and groups to turn pain into direction, build sustained resilience, reclaim energy, and live with purpose.

Whether you’re navigating personal hardship or leading through organizational stress, Rick’s whole-person, intentional approach equips you with proven strategies and skills—and emerge more confident, empowered, and resilient than ever.

Rick has a passion for the ocean, Cape Cod, fishing, music and working out with his Total Gym (which he immediately bought after Chuck Norris invited him to workout together.