And it all just came out of the blue...

It's quite amazing. Life throws lessons at us if we look for them. And recently, I have been hearing a very poor excuse.

"It just happened out of the blue"

Like a car accident. Just when you're about to pull out of that T-junction and whoosh... a car nearly takes you out. "Phew!" that was close you say to yourself, a bit shooken up. And then the excuse - "It just came from out of the blue".

Not your fault.

We all do it.

I was pretty distracted the other week. And I stopped to get a sandwich from a little cafe/shop on the side of the road. I hadn't been there before and missed the turning to park. No problem, I whacked my hazard warning lights on and parked up on the side.... Beeeeeeeeeeeep... a black whizzy German car that was hoofing it a short distance behind me was evidently irritated.

My fault? Not really? They just were going way too fast and didn't leave much room for unexpected manoeuvres.

So.... I got my sandwich and mindlessly bundled myself into the car. Thoughts on other things. I indicated... pulled out and whoosh !... I had pulled out in front of a small van who, luckily had the foresight to swerve onto the other lane and avoid cleaning me off the road.

My fault? Absolutely !!

The thing is... the van hadn't come "out of the blue". And nor do clients who throw a curveball... or employees who suddenly resign... or business partners that walk out...

If something in your life (business or personal) just "happens out of the blue", it's because you weren't on top of it. You were not looking properly. You didn't have the right KPIs. You didn't authentically listen to your team. You didn't genuinely ask, from the heart - are you really alright with the way the business is going? Or you chose to ignore horrible truths of the situation because they didn't fit with your fantasy world of "how it should be".

And, next time you hear the excuse, "It came from out of the blue", just remember that it was that persons lack of vigilance ... or ability to ignore everything they were being told... that meant they didn't see it coming. Show no sympathy and, if it is you, learn very quickly from YOUR mistakes.

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