Y ou’ re probably wondering: who would write an article with such an oxymoron of a title? Well, that someone is a human who has experienced the highs and lows of not having a supercomputer for a brain. As we kick off the season, it’ s imperative that we think about the speed at which life is about to take place. I write about this because I know all too well what it’ s like to suffer from stress, anxiety, panic attacks, and the ever-evolving pace of life we live today. A life where the brake pedal feels stuck and the accelerator is constantly mashed to the floor. It wasn’ t the work— the 9-to-5, the 6-to-6, or the night shift. It wasn’ t the expectations placed on me by any employer. It was the outside forces of life and the challenge of compartmentalizing what needed to stay at home and what needed to stay at work. It was my family. It was my friends, my expectations for myself, and my ability to chase dreams while trying to“ keep myself busy.” It was the realization that it had all become too much. Being vulnerable was the first step. As Pastor Joby Martin says, the three most dangerous words a person can possess are:“ I got this.” As companies operate under tighter budgets, higher wages, and production rates that look very different than they did 20 years ago, one thing still remains the same— people. Even though we carry smartphones and laptops everywhere we go, our brains are working overtime at a pace well beyond our predecessors. We are not digital currency or mechanical devices. Our minds can only handle so much, and that limit varies for each person. It’ s not the person on the back of the screed, the operator, the one holding the stop sign at a lane drop, the pilot car driver, the superintendent, the truck driver, the estimator, the administrative assistant, or the executive. No one role stands out more than another. Most people show up every day knowing the risks ahead of them. But it’ s the hidden risks— the unseen pressures— that cause the greatest damage. Stress doesn’ t wear high-visibility clothing. It doesn’ t require certification or safety training. It’ s a silent trap that tries to hold everything at once: today, yesterday, tomorrow, five years from now, ten years ago— all while causing us to miss what’ s happening right in front of us. We often try to“ fit the narrative” based on someone’ s personality, facial expression, or the behavioral clues experts tell us to watch for. Sometimes the warning signs are obvious. But more often than not, it’ s the happiest person on the crew, the overachiever, the“ top dog,” or the executive who appears to have the perfect life who is actually the most burned out and closest to breaking. We have to start doing things differently: 1. Look for the person who never says no. 2. Approach the individual who is first on-site and last to leave. 3. Pay attention to the“ quiet one.” 4. Ask yourself: if that person were a member of your family, would you believe they truly have it all together? 5. Know, at the most personal level possible, what’ s happening in the life of the person next to you. Human nature is often the best indicator of what’ s affecting the people around us. We’ ve always been told that if something doesn’ t feel right, it probably isn’ t. Yet in today’ s world, we’ re constantly told to stay in our lane, not to stick our noses into other people’ s business, and to worry about ourselves first. But the most important things we can do are simple: care first and ask the hard questions second. So I challenge you as you read this. If you don’ t take those steps, what will your conscience say if the person next to you falls apart? If they cause an accident with irreparable consequences? If a tragedy could have been prevented? What if you had just asked, pushed a little, or cared enough not to accept“ I’ m OK,”“ I’ m good,” or“ I got this” as the final answer? As I’ ve grown deeper in my faith and slowed my own life down, I’ ve noticed something interesting. People begin to draw closer without being asked. Almost as if it’ s God’ s will for them to come forward. People ask about my experiences. How I handled the hard moments. What I did to change the outcomes of things I couldn’ t control. By being vulnerable and open, I’ ve been able to help others. Whether you’ re a believer or not, believe in this: The person next to you is not that different from you. They eat, sleep, and try to live their life just like you— just in their own way. We all struggle. We all have cobwebs in our closets. If you choose to believe in anything, believe that by caring for others first, you can and will make a difference in this world. First … care. Second … ask. You never know what two simple actions can do to better yourself and those around you. The goal is to create a better tomorrow for everyone who is present today. Joshua Trolinger is a National Account Manager with LeeBoy. He can be reached at Joshua. Trolinger @ LeeBoy. com.