Don’t Throw the Baby Out with the Bath Water

There was a saying when I was growing up, “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.”

Back in the wash tub days, I guess it was common to lose the baby in the suds and throw it out with the dirty water.

Aside from child safety, I think the point of the idiom is to not mistakenly toss aside something precious when getting rid of some waste.

I have used this reference several times in my career to keep me from making a decision I would regret because of a temporary situation.

There are tough times in every project. Sometimes we have technical issues, or maybe it’s another hang up, but more often than not it is people. As Marty says, “Business would be easy if it were not for people.”

Sometimes when I find myself in one of these frustrating situations, I think that quitting would be the best option. But I am always glad that I don’t follow that thought.

Even when it seems like things are going wrong, remember tough times are temporary. Just like the good days do not last forever, neither do the bad.

If you like the fundamentals of a company or project, and you feel like it is the right place for you long term, it can be worth a few months of tough times to get the reward of a successful career or project.

You should always try to improve things when you have the power, but don’t forget, there is power in powering through.

If you are dealing with an aggravating person or an unusually frustrating project, sometimes the best thing to do is wait it out. Life is a long game.

Until next time…we are Advoco, make every minute count.

About Craig: Craig Page is a self-proclaimed “data geek” with nearly 20 years of EAM/maintenance consulting experience. His favorite work is data migrations. He enjoys solving the puzzle to make the data fit and keep the integrity of the information. When Craig isn’t in front of a computer, he is probably running a chainsaw or a tractor. Have a question for Craig? Send him an email!