I finally did it

20 years ago, I added something to my to-do list.

✅ Yesterday, I finally checked it off.

And I spent the rest of the day shaking my head, wondering why I hadn’t done it sooner.

It wasn’t a big thing.

Just a small, annoying task at the house.
Replacing a window in a door.

When we first moved in, I looked into it.

The process sounds like way more of a hassle than I had time for.
And it wasn't something that had to be done.

So I let it go.

And then life happened.

In the 20 years since:

- We had a baby. (She just graduated from high school.)
- We said goodbye to our first dog and welcomed Archie into the family.
- I changed jobs two times, left a career, and started Carpenter Leadership Consulting.
- Even Pete Carpenter changed jobs multiple times.
- We've celebrated countless milestones.
- And traveled near and far.

And that window replacement?

Still waiting to happen.

It was never urgent.
Just a daily annoyance.
Something I saw every single day.

But didn’t fix.
Until yesterday.

Not long ago, someone recommended a local glass shop.

I made the call yesterday morning.
Twenty minutes later, they were at my house.
An hour after that, the window was replaced.

Just like that.

It was such a clear reminder:

The things we avoid for years often take way less time than we imagine.

I think about how often this happens in leadership.

The hard conversation.
The clunky system that needs updating.
The person who deserves feedback or recognition.

We tell ourselves:

“Later.”
"When I have time.”
“Next quarter.”

And then years go by.

So this is your permission to cross that thing off your list.

Send the email.
Make the call.
Schedule the meeting.
Fix the thing.

The clarity, relief, and momentum on the other side of it are totally worth it.

I promise.