When to Fix It, Even When It’s Not Broke

Have you ever known that something wasn’t working?

Yet, it wasn’t truly broken.

Then at some point later, it failed and ended up causing a lot of trouble.

When you know something isn’t working right, do you fix it?

Or do you wait until it breaks?

Waiting For Failure

We often get so caught up in our daily activities, that we ignore the signals that something isn’t working.

However, the warnings are usually there before something goes wrong.

Signs of wear. Cracks in the system. Maybe even complaints from others.

Yet, we wait… and wait.

Then something fails and ends up causing a bigger mess than we expected.

If only we had taken action before the breaking point.

By fixing things before they break…

You not only avoid the impact of  collateral damage,

But you minimize the effort required to address the issue.

It’s almost always easier to address things before they reach the breaking point:

– It’s easier to fix something mechanical before it breaks and damages some of its parts.

– It’s easier to get back into shape when you haven’t totally let yourself go.

– It’s easier to repair a relationship at the first signs of friction, instead of once it has gone off the rails.

Do you take action early? Or wait for failure?

Take Action Early

If only you had taken action earlier, the situation could have been prevented.

You may have told yourself this after something has broken.

But, how do you know when you should take advance action to fix something?

Here are some tips on situations when you should take action before things reach the breaking point:

• When the Benefits Outweigh the Current Situation – We often hear the cliché, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” But, sometimes the potential benefits are substantially better than what you have now. It can make sense to fix the situation early.
• When You Are Resisting Change – Often, we resist fixing something because we are resisting the change that comes with it. Do not hold on to old ways and tools just due to their familiarity.
• When It’s Impeding Your Productivity – When a process or tool is impeding your progress, it is time to address the situation. Maybe it’s not broken yet, but it is definitely affecting performance.
• Endangering People – If something were to break, what damage would it do? If it would physically hurt someone, fix it immediately before disaster strikes.
• Preventative Maintenance – Maintenance is easier before something breaks. A little preventative maintenance now can save you lots of time and effort down the road.
• When You Are In Denial – If you are hearing complaints that something isn’t working, you need to listen up. Perhaps, you are not aware of (or are ignoring) an important issue that others see. Avoid being blind-sided be heeding these warnings.

What Do You Need to Fix?

Often, we know that something isn’t working as it could or should.

We have early warning, yet we don’t act… until something fails.

This can cause additional impact and consequences.

Instead, don’t wait for failure to occur.

Fix it today, before it breaks.

Question: What are you aware of that needs to be fixed before it breaks? Are you waiting for failure?