Looking Cool; Producing Nothing

 

 

At some point in time, this apparatus may have actually done something. I have no idea what it did, but whatever it did, it doesn't do it anymore. 

It looks awesome but it doesn't actually do anything.

It's not connected to any production process so its maintenance is of little concern. It's in the middle of the Ohio River, attached to a rail on the Big Four Bridge in Louisville. Rusted and corroding; it looks cool, but nobody is investing a lot of time, money or energy in its maintenance. It's decorative, nothing more.

People invest in stuff that works.

Both personally and corporately, investments are made with an expectation of good returns. That's why significant investments are made to ensure the people working in your business are thoroughly trained for their positions; owners care about productivity and success. It's also why I'm baffled when we squander precious resources to maintain habits, hobbies, patterns and toys that bring a zero return on our investments: no progress, no new steps and no improvements ... even in our relationships. Why would we do that?

Make no mistake; I think it's OK to have a few amenities around, niceties that look cool (even if they don't really do anything), but if we can't maintain what's essential for mission success because we're diverting vital resources to support a few glittering nonessential interests, we'll be in danger of making mission-critical mistakes. 

 

Proverbs 4:25  -  Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions.