In the heart of Hancock Park in Los Angeles, California, a tiny miscalculation caused a domino effect that altered everything about how I approach business and life. A baby hummingbird, no larger than a few of my fingers, darted through an open door on my balcony. What followed was not just a tale of attempted rescue but a profound lesson in business and life that I never expected to learn from such a small creature.

As entrepreneurs and business leaders, we often pride ourselves on our problem-solving abilities. That day, my partner and I threw everything at the situation. This cute little bird was clearly confused and starting to panic. We didn’t want to harm the animal or scare it more than it already was. We tried brooms, mops and even a Swiffer extended to its full length in our attempt to guide the hummingbird back to the open door.

We tried to make everything dark except the doorway, hoping it would see the apparent path out and follow the light. We crafted makeshift solutions recommended by friends and videos on YouTube, such as adding sugar to bowls of water and eventually to the tip of the Swiffer itself. Each attempt was met with the same result — failure, but with a slight variation. Sound familiar?

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