1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio 2 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:15,240 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Law. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:20,960 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to follow the carpenter's advice to measure 4 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 1: twice and cut once. Whether you take this advice literally 5 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: or metaphorically, it pays to make sure you are doing 6 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:35,479 Speaker 1: what you intend before. What you are doing is irreversible 7 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 1: for anything in the material world. It's a good idea 8 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:45,280 Speaker 1: to literally measure twice, or at least take the time 9 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 1: to make sure you get your measurement right the first time. 10 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 1: You don't want to realize belatedly that you just put 11 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 1: one tablespoon of salt into your cake batter when you 12 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 1: meant to put in one teaspoon. We discovered that the 13 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 1: bathrooms in the history or house we are renovating had 14 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:04,400 Speaker 1: what's called a rough in for the toilets that's ten 15 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:07,720 Speaker 1: inches from the wall. It's more common for bathrooms to 16 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:12,399 Speaker 1: have a twelve inch rough in. It completely changes which 17 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:16,319 Speaker 1: toilets you can buy good. We figured that out before 18 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:20,399 Speaker 1: we had lots of toilets that didn't fit. By measuring 19 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 1: twice and checking your work, you prevent avoidable errors. Measuring 20 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 1: twice metaphorically can be wise too. A quick second glance 21 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:37,680 Speaker 1: can save you from lots of hassle or embarrassment. Let's 22 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:39,480 Speaker 1: just say it's not going to be quick to get 23 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:44,680 Speaker 1: three dollars back if you accidentally type hundred seventy instead 24 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:49,520 Speaker 1: of seven dollars when you're doing online bill pay. And 25 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 1: let's just say it's going to be awkward if you 26 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 1: text your new colleague a person named Babs and your 27 00:01:55,880 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 1: phone auto corrects it to Babe. Measure twice, that is, 28 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 1: checking what your message says before something happens that is 29 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 1: going to be hard to take back. The idea of 30 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:12,240 Speaker 1: measuring twice extends to anything that is going to be 31 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 1: hard to change. If you are giving an important presentation, 32 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:19,399 Speaker 1: you'd be wise to practice in front of a trusted 33 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:22,560 Speaker 1: colleague or two, or at least ask them to review 34 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 1: your slides and notes. That way, you can save yourself 35 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:30,800 Speaker 1: from making a reference that could accidentally derail the presentation. 36 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:35,960 Speaker 1: Turns out that CEO you are sharing an inspirational quote 37 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:40,359 Speaker 1: from was just arrested for tax fraud. You've been too 38 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 1: busy working on your presentation to read the news. Hopefully 39 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 1: your colleague is more on top of things. Even if 40 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 1: you think you have proof read a paper or newsletter 41 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:55,119 Speaker 1: or other printed material, well ask someone else to take 42 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: a look before you print thousands of copies. Measure to 43 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:03,400 Speaker 1: ice a great Many years ago, I was involved with 44 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:06,320 Speaker 1: a newspaper that was running a very important story about 45 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 1: two local school principles resigning. At the same time, the 46 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:15,360 Speaker 1: headline talked about the district losing its principles spelled with 47 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:18,200 Speaker 1: an L E at the end, not an a L, 48 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:21,400 Speaker 1: which turns out to be more of an editorial statement. 49 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 1: Somehow things didn't get measured twice. In any case, none 50 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:34,399 Speaker 1: of us is perfect, So measure twice, cut once. All 51 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:37,480 Speaker 1: you will lose is a tiny bit of time, but 52 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 1: you might save yourself a lot of time and cleaning 53 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:44,800 Speaker 1: up the mess. Have you learned the hard way the 54 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: value of measuring twice and cutting once. I'd love to 55 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:52,880 Speaker 1: hear your stories. You can reach me at Laura at 56 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 1: Laura Vanderkam dot com. In the meantime, this is Laura. 57 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:03,080 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of 58 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 1: our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear from you. 59 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 1: You can send me your tips, your questions, or anything else. 60 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:19,479 Speaker 1: Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at 61 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast pod that's B the number four, then Breakfast 62 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:28,159 Speaker 1: p o D. You can also shoot me an email 63 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:32,039 Speaker 1: at before Breakfast podcast. At i heeart media dot com 64 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:34,600 Speaker 1: that before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters. 65 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 1: Thanks so much, I look forward to staying in touch. 66 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:46,200 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast is a production of I heart Radio. For 67 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 1: more podcasts from I heart Radio, visit the i heart 68 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 1: Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your 69 00:04:52,800 --> 00:05:00,480 Speaker 1: favorite shows.