“Don’t save the canary. Fix the coal mine.”

Wise words from Seth Godin.

How often do we set out to fix something because we assume that what’s broken is the problem? Maybe, or more than likely, we’re missing the fact that the thing that caused it to break is what really is at fault.

Example? Potholes in our roads. Instead of filling them in, replace the road with a surfacing material designed for the climate conditions.

I wonder how much money could be saved in the long run by doing things right in the first place?