Getting Gas in the Rain

So I had to fill up my gas tank in the pouring rain the other day. I shouldn’t have had too. I had three other chances to do it in when the sun was shining. In fact, I actually thought about doing it.

But I didn’t…

I didn’t do it because I was apparently… lazy or distracted or in a hurry or too busy or neglectful or just a dope. But no, I didn’t do it when it was sunny.

So instead, I had to stand in the cold, blowing rain (I know its not snow, but for us Floridians, its the same okay) while I waited the 6 (or whatever) painstaking minutes (it felt like 26; come on thing, pump faster…) holding the handle of the gas pump (because very few gas stations have the ones that latch and then disconnect automatically, because of all the old people down here!) and waited for my tank to fill up. (See footnote *)

Regret.

That’s what I felt.

And that’s what I deserved in that moment, I suppose.

It could have been better. I could have filled up in the sunshine, but I didn’t…

Hey Leaders: What simple, small decision have you not made, because it doesn’t feel urgent at the moment? Or because you have a busy week, or month or quarter? What issue have you not dealt with because its going to require some of your energy and things-are-going-pretty-well-at-the-moment-so-why-screw-it-up?

Trust me, you’re much better off making that decision in the sunshine, when sales are up, morale is high and momentum is at your back, then you are making it in the pouring rain… when the economy takes a down turn, your people are worn out and the momentum in your organization is down.

Either way, you’re going to have to make that decision, just like we all have to fill up our gas tanks. Why not do it in the sunshine instead of the rain?

Just a thought…

Footnote:

* We have very few “Pay-By-Yourself” Checkout lanes in grocery stores down here too, for the exact same reason! #Gosh