Wrong Way CJ

Several years ago, I was rushing to O'Hare Airport to catch a flight to Denver for a critical meeting with a very large prospect.  I was meeting a colleague in Denver the night before and reviewing notes so that we were prepared for the following morning.  I went to the gate about 10 minutes before departure, handed my boarding pass and ticket to the lady at the gate, and proceeded to get on the plane.  Once settled in, I realized I was exhausted and shut my eyes, only to fall asleep immediately.  The flight must have been a smooth one because I did not wake up until we were descending and close to touching down.  After taking a few minutes to get my head together, I looked out the window and things just didn't seem right.  As we taxied to the gate, the captain announced over the loud speaker that we had landed in..........North Dakota.  Immediately, my mind went into hyper speed trying to get a grip on what was going on.  Was this a connecting flight?  Did we get re-routed?  Did my baggage come with me?  How in the world was I getting to Denver?  The airport was the size of an office and every person in the airport had a cowboy hat on their head. Obviously, I did not make it to Denver for my meeting and I spent a restless night on a chair in the airport in the middle of nowhere. 

Needless to say, I was material for water cooler gossip at our corporate office for the next month.  Honestly, it was not funny at the time, but to look back now, I literally laugh out loud at the memories.  But there was a good life lesson in this little adventure of mine. 

I thought that I had done everything correctly.  I was prepared and ready.  I was on time.  I relied on other people to point me in the right direction.  And still I ended up in the middle of nowhere.  And I missed a critical appointment. And ultimately, I lost a sale and a big commission check.  So what was the lesson?  I learned that no matter what the intentions, no matter how much we prepare, no matter how right we think we are, one little, incorrect decision can make a huge difference in our lives and in our plans.

It is a lesson I learned again in my business a few years later and it is one of the reasons that I am slower to make a decision today.  It is the reason that I try to analyze my decisions and view them from as many angles as I can think of.  It is the reason that I try constantly to impress on my staff, my friends, and my family the importance of even seemingly small decisions in their lives.