The county is building a park behind my house. The first week was clearing the site, which happened quickly. Since then, the work has seemed like an endless flow of moving dirt back and forth.  And over the six or so weeks, a shape has formed. But one has to wonder, why does it take so long to move dirt?

If you lack expertise in a particular subject, it can be hard to understand why things take so long. Sometimes there is a good reason. Other times, a better way is available and not known or not taken. And finding out starts with asking why it happens the way it does.

It’s the summer growing season. And if you know me well, you know I grow a bunch of things. Including padron peppers. The thing about padrons is the pepper is the exact same color as the leaves. So, as the peppers grow, they tend to blend in, making it very easy to miss them amongst the plant. Just yesterday, I found a pepper that was three times the optimal size at which they are picked. Which means I missed if for a few weeks.

The same things happen in business. At some point, it becomes easy to miss things that need to be dealt with. We miss the point when an action should be taken because everything begins to blend in with each other. So, when it is finally seen, it is a much bigger issue to deal with.

How are you making sure you get perspective to see all of the parts of your business and not just letting them blend together?

With the heat in the area, everyone is getting out early to exercise. Today, though, I was clearly the first one on some of the trails. As I passed through areas, I had the pleasure of walking through those fine spider webs that cross the trail. Just one strand, but you can feel it on your arms. And they stick until you find a way to get them off.

That’s the thing about blazing a trail. Being first means clearing the way for others. It also means dealing with issues that others won’t have to experience. And that knowledge is gold, because others won’t have it. And it prepares you for getting ahead next time.

Things can change fast. The Pacific Northwest was cool and wet through mid-June. Trails were muddy and required care to navigate through muddy spots to avoiding slipping. Then, all of a sudden, the weather changed and the mud gave way to dusty, dry trails. The slow going gave way to a rapid pace.

Business is the same too.  There are times when conditions require a slower pace and more care. The trick is to know when conditions are changing to accelerate.

When conditions change, are you ready to accelerate?

After trying out my new air fryer by roasting vegetables and chicken, it was time to clean it. But how? The internet had the solution: baking soda and vinegar. Both stable substances when stored alone. When you mix the two, the result is a chemical a bubbling, overflowing reaction. And results in a  better cleaner than either on their own.

You can find those relationships in business too. Sometimes it is the combination of people. Other times it is the combination of a product and a delivery method that gets the product to you vs. you having to go get it. Or maybe it is technology added to the mix that makes life easier. Those combinations make it astronomically better than any one piece on its own.