Ignoring Small Problems Now Will Cost You Later

Quick Highlights:

• A single ignored problem can become the elephant in the room—learn how to stop that from happening.
  

• Discover the 3-step framework to turn small issues into momentum, not mayhem.
  

• What one roach taught me about success, abundance, and the cost of procrastination.

Imagine visiting a friend’s house. You’re mid-conversation when you spot a roach crawling up the wall.

What do you do?

Kill it? Say something? Pretend you didn’t see it to avoid embarrassment?

That moment taught me a powerful life lesson about small problems—and how they grow if you ignore them.

The Roach Story

In college, my wife and I used to hang out with a group of couples. One night, while we were at a friend’s place, I noticed a roach crawling on the wall.

It wasn’t the end of the world. Roaches happen. I didn’t want to embarrass the host. So I said nothing.

I rationalized it. “It’s just one. We had one recently too. He’ll handle it.”

The next time we visited his place, there were a few more. Still, I kept quiet.

Eventually, someone else brought it up: “Hey, did you notice the roaches at Fred’s?” (Names are changed to protect the innocent) ;)

We figured Fred would take care of it soon. But weeks went by. Then months. He moved apartments—twice—but the roaches followed.

We stopped going over altogether.

The Roach Became the Elephant in the Room

What started as one tiny problem became the elephant in the room. And the lesson was loud and clear:

Big problems usually start as small ones… ignored.

3 Steps to Stop Small Problems from Becoming Big Disasters

1. Acknowledge
You can’t fix what you won’t face. Pretending it’s not a problem doesn’t make it go away—it makes it stronger.

“No one is coming to save you. It’s all up to you.”

2. Act
Knowing is half the battle, but action wins the war. Don’t wait. Make a plan, take a step, and commit. In my case, I spent $30 and never saw a roach again.

3. Assess
Did it work? What did you learn? Assess your progress and put a system in place to stop it from happening again.

The Paradox of Abundance

Here’s the twist: This story isn’t just about roaches.

“What starts as a roach will become an elephant—if you don’t kill it early.” – Major Williams

Whether it’s a habit, a toxic relationship, an inefficient system, or a hidden cost in your business—ignoring it won’t make it disappear.

Just as resolving a small problem early will lower the amount of elephants in your life. Focusing on a few key actions can create a life of abundance. 

As Jim Collins said:

“If you have more than three priorities, you don’t have any.”

Take the time to identify the few key activities that will make the biggest impact on your life.  Apply your focus to these areas as often as you can.  Preferably daily.  

Then watch the magic happen.

Final Thought

Don’t let little problems fester into massive ones. If you see a roach—address it now.

Face it early. Fix it fast. Free yourself for a more abundant life. 

Until Next Time...

P.S. Tired of letting small problems become big ones?

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