You have all heard the old adage “Don’t sweat the small stuff, and it is all small stuff”.  I understand the thought, not worrying about little things can reduce your stress.  While I understand the thought I have to say that there are times to sweat the “small” stuff.

Think about a time that you were going out for a run or a walk.  The smallest pebble in your shoe can be so annoying that it will drive you crazy if you don’t address it. 

Consider a kidney stone, a stone causes more pain than one might imagine.  A stone the size of a grain of sand can be excruciating.

Often we want to rationalize the “little things”.  After all it was only a little white lie, a small disparaging remark, a small breach of trust, our view of what the little things are is skewed.  Moral courage requires us to step up, stop rationalizing and display the courage that is necessary to be responsible for our whole selves, all the time and take full responsibility for all of our actions both large and small.

A small lie still deceives

A small disparaging remark might devastate a loved one

A small breach of trust still erodes our trustworthiness.

Conversely a small amount of courage may save a life, a small amount of moral courage may save a career.

When it comes to moral decision making sweat the small stuff, the small stuff matters.

If we desire to maximize our well being we need to tend to the small things in life that propel us to go higher, removing the pebble from our shoe allows us to run faster. Removing the small annoying pebbles of life allow us to run faster, jump higher and enhance our wellbeing, in turn propelling our leadership to new heights.