I hung up the phone after talking with the airline sales rep. The good news was that I could change the dates for our tickets to Europe. The bad news was that it was going to cost money. Wow, a $300 fee for each ticket—over $500 for two simple transactions. It was a stupid mistake on my part. There were red flags when I bought the tickets a year ago, but I ignored them. Now, I was paying the price.
It is easy to ignore red flags.
Over the course of my life, I have noticed many red flags. Some I paid attention to, and others I didn’t. It is easy to ignore red flags. Rather than pause and make adjustments, I stay on the same path—head down, keep grinding. In some red-flag situations, staying the course works well. In others, it leads to problems that could have been avoided.
Why I wrote this billboard
I hate making bad decisions. You should, too. Looking back at my biggest mistakes from the past few decades, I notice clear red-flag warnings. I wrote this billboard to remind myself to pay attention to red flags and not ignore them. In this post, I will describe three types of red flags that should give you pause before moving forward.
Always respond to actual red flags.
The first type of red flag is the most obvious – an actual red flag. The best example is at the beach. Lifeguards put out red flags when it is unsafe to go into the water. You may recall that a hurricane hit the Outer Banks one year while we were on vacation there. Lifeguards placed red flags all along the beach. Stupidly, we chose to spend time on the beach before leaving. The beach was empty except for our family. Eventually, someone told us to evacuate immediately. We went in time, but I put our family in danger for no good reason. Don’t do that. When you see an actual red flag, do the right thing.
Watch for romantic relationship red flags.
The second type of red flag is more challenging to spot. When you are in a romantic relationship, watch for red flags. It might be obvious – she smokes or drinks way too much. Or the red flag can be more subtle like she is insecure and constantly anxious. Regarding romantic relationships, you may need to ask hard questions when you notice something strange. Otherwise, you risk dating someone who is a hot mess. You don’t need anyone that much. If you are clueless about this topic, watch the video below. It is helpful and funny.
Never ignore a financial red flag.
The third type of red flag is usually obvious because it involves money. I recommend always being careful when it comes to your finances. If a deal is too good to be true, it probably is—a clear red flag. The more money you spend on something, the more you should look for red flags. I have walked away from more than one deal because I saw one. Unfortunately, there have been several times when I ignored a financial red flag, and it cost me.
I used to believe in forever, but forever’s too good to be true.
A.A. Milne
How I incorporated this billboard into my life
Nowadays, I pay more attention to warning signs. For example, a tornado hit the area where I live last week. I received a warning on my phone and responded accordingly. I went into the bathroom and sat in the bathtub while it passed through. I called my parents to make sure they took precautions as well. I do a better job of watching for red flags in romantic relationships. It has helped make my current relationship better than the last one. Lastly, I monitor my finances for irregularities. I receive alerts if anything unusual happens and check my accounts regularly.
What about you?
Are you watching for red flags in your life? Or are you just plugging along, hoping for the best? I recommend that you keep an eye out for them. When you see one, think about your best path forward. They can keep you safe, help you find a suitable partner, and avoid financial missteps.
Don’t ignore the red flags. You will regret it. They are there for a reason.
Dad