Dead Weight Slows Us Down

One morning, I was fishing in the front of my boat on Ross Barnett Reservoir in Mississippi. I had an odd feeling that morning that things weren't just right; however, I wasn't able to put my finger on it. I became engrossed in a conversation with another fisherman about our LiveScopes. When I turned around to grab another color bait, I saw that my boat was full of water! I was literally on the verge of sinking.

Jumping into the back of the boat, I turned on the bilge pump, which thankfully began pumping water out of the boat. Quietly praying, I turned the key and heard the motor roar to life. But seven miles per hour was all the motor could muster. Creeping along, I hoped the water would run out as the bilge pump worked overtime.

Stopping and quickly leaning over the back of the boat, I found the hole where my plug should have been. Yes, the plug that I obviously forgot to put in that morning. After putting the plug back in, I felt my anxiety fading and my breathing ease up. The speed increased, and I returned to the boat ramp.

The lesson to take away from this story? Dead weight will completely take away your speed, agility, and power. I was distracted and didn't notice the water rising in my boat. Are we distracted from seeing some of our dead weight?

Read my latest article for AICPA's CPA Insider Don't Let Dead Weight Sink Your Firm for practices that keep your firm from moving forward.