Don't fail the test

How long do you look at the maintenance is required light on your car? Well, this morning I took my car in for service because I have been staring at the red light and screen on my car for about three weeks now. It was just a normal service. Rotate the tires, change the engine oil, and the other fifty checks or so they do on my car about every four months. Other than the red light staring at me there were no other signs that maintenance was required on my car.

As I am waiting in the lounge area for the service to be completed. My service guy comes up to tell me that my battery failed the load test. I am not an automotive technician, but I know this is not a good thing. Lucky for me I had just replaced the battery last year and it was still under warranty. So they put in a new battery and sent me on my way.

Again, not being an automotive technician I don't know what failing the load test means specifically, but my car gave me no signs that it was having any problems. It required me to go in and have it tested and that is what told me that it was not working correctly. I can only assume that over time it would have become an issue and most likely would have happened at the most critical time that I would need my car. It just seems like that is how it works, right?

This experience this morning got me thinking about us as humans. Primarily, how often do we check ourselves to see if we are working at full capacity or working properly. Just like my battery was operating just fine with no signs of failing, we as humans can operate the same way. We can just get up and go through life performing are normal job duties, duties as a parent, duties as a citizen, duties as whatever, and never really know if we are working to our full potential or full capacity or load.

What kind of tests are you putting yourself through to see if you are working at full capacity? When is the last time you set a goal that tested your endurance? Or your knowledge. When is the last time you did something that required you to try something new that tested your ability to be resourceful and creative to find a solution to a problem? We have to constantly test ourselves to see if we are working to our full capacity. Sure my battery was still working, but eventually conditions and the environment would change and it would then start causing me problems. That is just like the business environment as well. Conditions are going to change, you have to test yourself now to be sure you are ready for those changes.

To your success and your future.

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