Last week, with one hour left in my 6 hour drive home from visiting my brother, I was hit by a Semi on the highway.

As I was being pushed by a Mack Truck going 65-70 miles an hour on a busy interstate, I tried to use the mad skillz my mama taught me to stop my SUV from flipping…

I was thrown into the cable guardrail, which snapped, and wrapped around my tires as it worked to take the impact of my 4300 pound SUV.

The momentum flung my car spinning wildly again and I finally landed facing traffic halfway in the median, with me trying to brake with all strength even though I was already stopped.

The whole thing was so fast.

There wasn’t time to prepare for it.

THE CABLE GUARDRAIL SAVED MY LIFE.

Possibly the lives of others had I went into oncoming traffic in the opposite direction.

I visited the Honda Pilot today at the wreckage yard and saw where the cable had literally wore down the metal all around the frame of my car.

It sheared off the metal of the frame of my car in an attempt to stop what could have been a lot of devastation to multiple lives.

The guardrail did its job.

I was thinking about the accident, and it was so interesting to ponder:

WE ALL NEED GUARDRAILS IN OUR LIVES

To protect us….

from ourselves.

from others.

… from the unforeseen 80,000 pound eighteen wheeler that we have no idea is coming out of the darkness

… and if we’re honest… most of us think we don’t need them.

That the guardrails I’m talking about are thought of as commodities. They are dispensable novelties that you think you don’t need, or desperately know you do yet..

you think that:

you’ll get to them later.

you’re too busy now.

you don’t have the money.

But what if the semi comes out of nowhere?

Then what?

The guardrails can look like systems, process, automation, and people who keep us on track.

These guardrails help prevent us from spinning out of control.

They too, take the brunt force that is life;

the tragedy, the illness, the employee that quit, the contractor that bailed and didn’t do a good job.

The kids soccer club, playdates, and homework.

The spouse that wants you focused on them at night instead of answering yet another email.

DO YOU HAVE GUARDRAILS TO PROTECT YOU?

It’s THESE SAFEGUARDS: the partners we have, the employees we pour into and train, the countless hours spent documenting SOPs… the second set of eyes reviewing our blog posts, the friend who asks if you’re really okay and helps you create a plan when you’re not.

It’s that type of guard rails

that PROTECT US when we’re going too fast, and even when we’re minding our own business in the slow lane and a Semi comes barreling into us in the form of melanoma, or a son that’s been abused by a neighbor.

So many businesses fall apart because they don’t take the time to put up the guardrails necessary to protect them.

So many marriages fall apart because couples don’t put in guardrails to protect against infidelity.

Friendships fall apart and men and women are left to struggle alone because they lack structure, and a guardrail for accountability when things start to go a little too fast in life.

Who knew getting hit by a semi would make me be so reflective to the areas in my life where I’m lacking some serious guard rails.

Who knew that I’d be so compelled to wonder about how I could help YOU ensure you have the right ones, too.

What guardrails do you have in your life that will help take the impact with you?

Is there something you need to do?

Something you need to say?

Someone you need to hire?

A system you need to put in place?

An accountability partner you need to ask for help?

A process you need to revamp?

Are you ready for it?

Don’t let an 18 wheeler come from the darkness speeding down your highway to knock you off track…. and have nothing in place to help take the impact.

Don’t do it alone.

Life.

Business.

Friendships.

Relationships.

Struggles.

Successes.

Find where you need guardrails… and work your ass off to figure out how to get them built and ready for impact. Because I can assure you… that Semi is coming when you least expect it.

I want you to be ready.

If you need help, let’s start the conversation.

We’ll get your guardrails in place, and get you back on your highway of life.