I was hoping for some new subscribers last week following Friday’s co-post with Charlie Rogers.

And, in preparation, I spent a couple of hours tidying up my welcome sequence.

(anyone who joins my email list drops into a set of pre-written emails for a few days – the so-called “welcome sequence” – before joining the real-time emails)

Once I was done, I made a cup of tea, put my feet up and checked my inbox.

To my surprise, I’d just received a welcome sequence email from myself. 

I raised a Roger Moore style eyebrow.  This seemed odd. 

I’m subscribed to my own emails, but I shouldn’t be receiving emails meant for new subscribers.

I pondered for a moment.  "Must be a glitch in the matrix" I thought.

So I ignored the email and got on with my day.

Next day, I checked my emails again.

I’d got another welcome sequence email from myself, an out of office from a long time subscriber in response to a welcome sequence email, and a message from another subscriber saying he’d enjoyed my email today.

Even though today was Saturday, and I don’t send emails on Saturdays.

“Uh oh” I thought.

Something was wrong.

Turns out that tinkering with my welcome sequence had prompted the email system to send out random emails to people who’ve been on my list for months.

And over the last two or three days, some subscribers have been getting multiple emails a day from me.

Whoops!

So if you’ve had one too many emails over the last couple of days – I apologise.

And here’s the thing…

I could’ve nipped this in the bud if I’d paid a bit more attention to that very first email. 

The email that looked a bit strange.

But it was such a small sign.  It was so innocuous, so subtle.  It made me pause for a moment, but nothing more.

I’m used to the bigger signs.  The signs that whack me over the head and force me to pay attention.

Like the smoke alarm shrieking in my kitchen to let me know I’m burning my potatoes…

Or popping my debit card into an ATM and seeing a message which says my card has been blocked…

Or even my own exhaustion telling me it’s time to take a rest.

But before these glaringly-obvious signs, there are usually smaller signs along the way.

Like a smoky whiff of burning in the air…

Or a missed phone call from my bank…

Or noticing I've become moodier and grumpier with people, and that I've started to order double espressos instead of single espressos.

Some of these smaller signs can be like trying to listen to a voice note when you’re at a rave.

They’re faint, vague and extremely hard to hear.

But, as my recent snafu goes to show, they’re worth keeping an eye out for.

Because if you can nip a small problem in the bud, the bigger problems will take care of themselves.

What do you think?

That’s all for today. 

- Tom