Way back in 2010, while living in Kitende just before Bwebajja, life felt simple and efficient. I had created a routine that made me feel in control. Every evening, on my way home, I would stop at Total Kajjansi, buy a cake as a reward for surviving the day, eat it while driving, reach home, switch on the news, and then go straight to sleep.
No brushing, just sugar, noise… and then silence. At the time, it felt like I was winning. Until one night, everything changed. I woke up to a sharp, unbearable pain in my tooth. It felt sudden, but in truth, it had been building quietly over time. That night, it felt like my tooth had called a meeting without me, no notice, no agenda, just action.
The next thing I knew, I was at the dentist. Lying on that chair, staring up at a bright light, I saw a calm man standing over me. The kind of calm that tells you something serious is about to happen. Then came the decision: tooth extraction. Just like that, one “shareholder” left the mouth.
After the procedure, the dentist looked at me and said something simple but powerful: “If you want to keep the remaining board members, brush twice a day.” Then he added, more firmly:
“If you eat cakes or anything sweet, at least rinse your mouth with warm water. If possible, brush immediately.” That is when it hit me.
I had not been enjoying cake. I had been slowly negotiating with decay and losing.
The problem was not the cake itself. It was what came after. The neglect. The assumption that small actions did not matter. And that is where the real lesson is.
In life, in leadership, and even in our daily habits, problems rarely come suddenly. They grow quietly through small, repeated decisions. A little neglect today. A small compromise tomorrow. Over time, these small choices build into something much bigger. At first, nothing happens. Then one day, everything happens.
We often think we will have time to fix things later. We assume there will be warnings, chances to correct, and room to negotiate. But some things do not negotiate. They simply respond to what we consistently do.
If you keep making small, careless decisions in an organisation, the consequences will eventually show up. Not loudly at first, but steadily. And by the time you notice, the cost is already due.
The lesson is simple but powerful: small, sweet decisions can create very painful consequences. If you want to avoid unnecessary pain, whether in your health, your work, or your leadership, pay attention to the small things. Build good habits, stay disciplined, and act early.
Because in the end, your teeth… unlike your excuses… do not negotiate. If you want happiness in the Organisation, brush often.
