Mike Carruthers

Imagine if you could solve problems before they happen. Well, the fact is you do, and the perfect example, I think, is when you change the oil in your car. You take your car in for an oil change not because there's anything wrong with it. You know that if you don't take it in for an oil change, you're asking for trouble down the road.

So you change the oil to prevent the problem before it happens. Yet so much of our life is putting out fires, not preventing them. But what if you could actually solve a lot more problems before they happen in the first place? Well, that's what Dan Heath has been looking into, and he has authored several really interesting books.

So you change the oil to prevent the problem before it happens. Yet so much of our life is putting out fires, not preventing them. But what if you could actually solve a lot more problems before they happen in the first place? Well, that's what Dan Heath has been looking into, and he has authored several really interesting books.

So you change the oil to prevent the problem before it happens. Yet so much of our life is putting out fires, not preventing them. But what if you could actually solve a lot more problems before they happen in the first place? Well, that's what Dan Heath has been looking into, and he has authored several really interesting books.

His latest is called Upstream, The Quest to Solve Problems Before They Happen. Hey, Dan, welcome. Hi, Mike. Thanks for having me on the show. You bet. So explain why you took a look at this and why you think this is important to talk about.

His latest is called Upstream, The Quest to Solve Problems Before They Happen. Hey, Dan, welcome. Hi, Mike. Thanks for having me on the show. You bet. So explain why you took a look at this and why you think this is important to talk about.

His latest is called Upstream, The Quest to Solve Problems Before They Happen. Hey, Dan, welcome. Hi, Mike. Thanks for having me on the show. You bet. So explain why you took a look at this and why you think this is important to talk about.

Because that's just how we kind of think. I mean, I don't know if we grow up and learn how to think that way, but, you know, you solve problems when they arise. You just don't think about doing what you said. And then also, like, if you're going to go upstream and fix the problem, well, some of these problems are so complex. Some of these systems are, you know, government or whatever.

Because that's just how we kind of think. I mean, I don't know if we grow up and learn how to think that way, but, you know, you solve problems when they arise. You just don't think about doing what you said. And then also, like, if you're going to go upstream and fix the problem, well, some of these problems are so complex. Some of these systems are, you know, government or whatever.

Because that's just how we kind of think. I mean, I don't know if we grow up and learn how to think that way, but, you know, you solve problems when they arise. You just don't think about doing what you said. And then also, like, if you're going to go upstream and fix the problem, well, some of these problems are so complex. Some of these systems are, you know, government or whatever.

Where would you even start to solve that?

Where would you even start to solve that?

Where would you even start to solve that?

Well, but maybe that's happening. I mean, like you say, when you prevent things from happening, you never know they would have happened. So there may be a lot of this going on because we just never see it.

Well, but maybe that's happening. I mean, like you say, when you prevent things from happening, you never know they would have happened. So there may be a lot of this going on because we just never see it.

Well, but maybe that's happening. I mean, like you say, when you prevent things from happening, you never know they would have happened. So there may be a lot of this going on because we just never see it.

Can you bring this down to a more personal level? I mean, we can talk about how police deploy their officers and how that affects policies and all that, but what about on a more personal level?

Can you bring this down to a more personal level? I mean, we can talk about how police deploy their officers and how that affects policies and all that, but what about on a more personal level?

Can you bring this down to a more personal level? I mean, we can talk about how police deploy their officers and how that affects policies and all that, but what about on a more personal level?

Well, human nature, don't you think? Because, I mean, here's the simplest example I can think of. If you want to not get lung cancer, don't smoke. There isn't a smoker alive that knows that their risk of lung cancer is huge compared to a non-smoker, and yet they still smoke. So there's an example of clear, upstream thinking. Stop smoking, prevent cancer, and many people ignore it.