There is a coming crisis. Whether you are an individual, family, institution, or community. It is already taking shape, but you are ignoring it right now because the solution looks insignificant.

History and experience show us that the disasters we face, whether in our personal lives, families, businesses, faith, or society, rarely emerge suddenly. They are often the result of small, ignored actions that seemed too trivial to matter.

I recently tried to rewatch James Cameron’s Titanic and understood a few more details I never considered. Before its infamous collision with an iceberg in April of 1912, there were several warning signs. The ship’s crew received multiple iceberg alerts from other vessels, yet these warnings were either dismissed or not properly relayed. Even a tool as small as binoculars was not given to the lookout, who eventually shouted, “Iceberg!”.

The ship was also designed with fewer lifeboats than needed, a seemingly small decision justified by aesthetics, overconfidence, and merely obeying the legal requirements. Had these “insignificant” details been handled differently, the scale of the disaster might have been mitigated.

This pattern repeats itself in companies that ignore simple information “insignificant employees” may have or dismiss shifting market trends, in individuals who neglect their health until it becomes a crisis, or in leaders who avoid uncomfortable but necessary conversations until trust is broken beyond repair.

What is that “small” action you’re putting off? A five-minute call to check in with a key client? A difficult but necessary conversation with a loved one? A decision to upskill before your job becomes obsolete?

The future is shaped by the small decisions we make today. We shouldn’t wait for a crisis to prove what should have been obvious. The insignificant action we take now could be the lifeline that saves us later. Our crisis prevention should start today.

Question: What small but important action are you delaying to take right now?