Make a spare key *before* you need one

I locked my car keys in my car a few days ago.

It was a real lock the door → wait do I have my keys? → oh crap, there they are on the front seat moment. AAA estimated two hours to send out a technician… and did I mention it was raining? And I was in a public parking lot? And my keys were in full view on the front seat? It didn’t take long before I called a local locksmith, who showed up in 20 minutes and got my keys out.

He charged $140, which I paid without thinking in order to not be standing in the rain next to my locked car for the next two hours.

Though what I really found interesting in hindsight is how often I’ve thought about making a spare car key.

I never have because it costs about $70 to do for my car, which feels like a lot for a key, but if I had just made a spare one of the 37,000 times I’ve thought of it, I could have called a friend to bring me my spare in 10 minutes and it would have cost $0 (well, $70, for the key).

Small problems, put off, eventually (usually) become urgent, expensive problems.

Which is also the mistake a lot of people make with content, and particularly with brand: It feels too expensive or not urgent enough to invest in, but then in the moment we really need it, it’s too late — and fixing it at that point is often more expensive, more inconvenient, or both.

Anyhow, food for thought.