Don’t repeat near misses

I first thought deeply about the concept of a “near miss” after reading Malcolm Gladwell’s David and Goliath. Gladwell explains how people who have experienced a near miss of some kind tend to be emboldened afterwards and take on more risk. It’s a theory that can be proven time and time again by human examples.

My post today, however, seeks to remind people not to behave in this manner and to actually respect the near miss. Avoid further risk taking if you have been fortunate enough to escape the consequences of a poor decision. I’m sure we can all cite examples in our lives where we have been lucky and got away with it.

For some people it may be the speed cop who let them off with a warning, or the lecturer who didn’t deduct marks even though your assignment was late. For some people it may be as a serious as the magistrate who let them off lightly on a drinking and driving charge or the spouse who chose to forgive after an episode of infidelity.

Whatever it is you got away with I believe it is your responsibility to make sure that the same mistake is never repeated. Repeated actions become habits unfortunately so the onus is on us to stop before it becomes a habit.

 

And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. (Matthew 18:9 NIV)

 

The consequences of bad decisions escalate incrementally. We make them when the stakes are much lower. But reap the consequences when the stakes are much higher. At that critical point in time when you least need your decision to manifest, that’s when it does.

I recall the experience of someone I know, who had the opportunity to work in the US. However, his work visa application started to fall apart when it emerged he had a criminal record due to a drunk driving charge from his teenage years. When you least need it. The consequences come home.

Take heed of the near misses. Make them once off events where possible. Next time you may not be that lucky.