When was the last time you were the victim of your own impulsive actions?
A lot of headaches, frustration, and regret can be avoided by adopting the guiding principle to which every good carpenter adheres; measure twice, cut once.
My Story
Yesterday my daughter, Mandy, called me to vent about what should have been a simple transaction.
Her mother-in-law wanted to send her money through a cash app.
Having used the app in the past, Mandy affirmed that the app in question was fine.
Only it wasn’t.
A significant amount of time had passed since she last used it, and the terms of use had changed. The funds were stuck in limbo.
A quick check would have revealed that the app was no longer an option.
We can all relate.
While this was a small oversight, with no long-term consequences, that is not the case for larger blunders.
Some decisions, and resulting actions, have much larger and often irrevocable consequences.
We can stand to learn a thing or two from our carpenter friends; measure twice, cut once.
The literal meaning of measure twice, cut once, is obvious.
In the carpentry world, measuring twice before cutting ensures accuracy and reduces the loss of time and money resulting from errors.
Figuratively, measure twice, cut once, is an awesome guiding principle for life.
Take the time to check and double check the details.
Plan and prepare before acting.
Consider the long-term consequences of decisions.
All critical life skills wrapped up in an easy to recall phrase.
Intentionally making this principle part of your everyday life is life changing.
Imagine never having to run home for your laptop because you took two seconds to ensure it was in the car when you left for work.
Or avoiding debt simply by taking the time to plan and prepare for large purchases.
The life applications for this principle are endless.
Please notice, we are admonished to measure twice, not measure endlessly.
Don’t get so caught up in trying to make the right decision, or checking details, that you end up doing nothing.
Learn from them. That’s the best possible outcome of any wrong cut or wrong decision.
A Master Carpenter does not attain the title without making his or her share of wrong cuts.
That’s how carpenters learn and get better.
The same can be said of people in general.
The goal is to keep the mistakes at a minimum.
When was the last time you were the victim of your own impulsive actions?
Train yourself to measure twice and cut once.
You might just find yourself a victim of your own impulsiveness a whole lot less.
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