Problems are what life throws at us to make sure we know we are truly alive.

Errors are what we do to make sure we don’t forget we are human.

While we are accustomed to experiencing and working through an ongoing string of problems and errors. From time to time our errors compound in surprising ways. When that happens, sometimes, small errors lead to strings of errors and that can lead to severe problems and major damage.

When we have made a little error we have choices. One of the choices is to ignore the error. Another choice is to remedy the error and do that as quickly as possible. When we make these reaction-to-errors choices we pave the path for habits. These habits can be good habits. These habits can be bad habits. Our changes are matters of our choice.

When we react to errors by making extreme choices [extreme changes], we tend to fail. For example, when we overdo discipline we tend to alienate and annoy people. On the other hand, when we fail to illustrate sufficient discipline people tend to wander and make poor decisions. In either case, at either extreme, errors tend to compound.

When we react to problems with too much discipline, the consequence can be avoidance due to fear or some other negative mindset. When we react to problems with a lack of discipline, the resulting actions tend to be lackadaisical. Either way, if the extreme practice is continued to the point of habit, we tend to breed compounding errors.

So, when we react to errors in inappropriate ways, sometimes we get caught in a whirlpool of compounding errors.

When we are in a whirlpool of compounding errors it is as if time gets away on us. We feel like we don’t have enough time. This shortage-of-time feeling becomes an excuse, a mindset that justifies more errors. As problems continue to whirl relentlessly around us, we feel we are losing the little control we have been clinging to. As the whirlpool rages on, our frustrations, worries, and fears expand. These negative mindsets consume our energy and our positive-spirit and this reduces our ability to deal with or learn from our problems.

We cannot let that happen.

We cannot take our errors lightly or allow our problems to get the better of us.

When we are caught in a whirlpool of compounding errors we must resist the current. We must fight the urge to tolerate small errors. We must give fresh thought to old problems. We must take new actions. We must seek out the lessons contained in our errors.

We must use every opportunity to learn from errors.

Only new approaches will help us escape the whirlpool of compounding errors.