A Stitch in Time Saves…
Have you noticed how small problems tend to get bigger the longer you don’t deal with them?
A Stitch in Time Saves NineTraditional Proverb
See the Problem
Neglecting a small problem often creates a bigger problem:
- Leave something on the sofa, soon the sofa is full of clutter.
- Interest accumulates on a small debt.
- A neglected friend becomes just a mere acquaintance.
- A small scratch on your car becomes a rusty mess.
- A small leak leads to redecoration.
- A few insects become an infestation.
- An unkind word can become a feud.
- A single dandelion becomes a lawn of weeds.
- A little white lie leads to a whopper.
- When a small wound become infected, a limb can be lost.
- A small mole becomes a life-threatening cancer.
- An occasional indulgence becomes a destructive habit.
Understand the Problem
There are many processes underlying this principle. Here are just a few of them:
- Agents reproduce after their own kind:
- Debt creates debt.
- Weeds and pests reproduce.
- Hurting people hurt people.
- Destructive agents exploit small weaknesses.
- When issuesare neglected, you create a new “normal”:
- You reinforce poor habits
- You set an example for others to follow
- You become familiar with the problem, so you don’t see it any more
Solve the Problem
Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom.Song of Songs 2:15
To stop a small problem fro becoming a big problem, you need to:
- See the the problem when it is small.
- Deal with it before it becomes a big problem.
Further Reading
Acknowledgements
- Original image courtesy wpclipart.com.
