When One Thing Goes Wrong, Why Do We Let Everything Fall Apart?

Ever notice how when one thing goes wrong, it feels like your whole world is falling apart?

You lose a client, miss a deadline, or face a personal issue - and suddenly, everything else seems to go sideways too.

But here’s the thing: it’s not bad luck, and it’s not fate conspiring against you. When one part of your life takes a hit, it’s easy to let other areas start to slip as well. The real challenge? Stopping that chain reaction before it snowballs.

Let’s dig into how this happens - and more importantly, how to stop it.

When One Thing Goes Wrong, It’s Easy to Let Everything Slip

I’ve never believed the idea that bad things happen in threes. I think it’s much more about how we react when something goes wrong.

Take your career, for example. Maybe you’ve got something tough happening at home—a personal issue, a health scare, whatever it is. It makes sense that it could impact your performance at work. So now, that’s two things going wrong. Then, suddenly, you stop hitting the gym, your eating habits change, and your stress levels skyrocket.

It’s easy to see how one major issue can start bleeding into other parts of your life.

But it doesn’t have to.

Be Aware of How Your Behaviour Changes

The key is to be conscious of how your behaviour changes when things start going wrong. Ask yourself:

• Am I neglecting other areas of my life?
• Is this one issue influencing how I act in unrelated areas?
• How can I contain the damage to just this one thing?

It’s easier said than done, but the goal is to stop the initial problem from turning into a domino effect that affects everything else.

If something’s going wrong at work, don’t let it disrupt your health, relationships, or hobbies.

I See This in Business All the Time

It’s not just individuals who fall into this trap - businesses do it too. Every company I’ve worked with has had that one problematic client or project. When things start going wrong, they throw everything they have at it to fix the problem.

But what often happens is that by putting all their focus on that one issue, they neglect other projects and parts of the business. Attention, time, and energy get sucked into the problem, and suddenly, everything else starts to suffer. Team morale drops, people start leaving, cash flow becomes a mess—it’s a domino effect.

The key for businesses (just like individuals) is to contain the damage, focus on solving the problem, but not let it impact the rest of the operation.

Keeping It Together as a Freelancer

On a personal level, I’ve learned this lesson the hard way. As a freelancer, there are always ups and downs. Right now, for instance, we’re going through a tough economic time in the UK. Work has dried up, and there are plenty of reasons why—companies are cautious, budgets are tight, the economy is unpredictable.

But this time, I’m handling things differently. Instead of letting financial stress spill over into every other part of my life, I’ve been focused on keeping everything separate. I’m still going to the gym, still walking my dog, still working on personal projects. Sure, I’m socialising less and being more cautious with spending, but I haven’t let everything else fall apart because one area of my life is challenging.

So, What Can You Do?

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: be intentional about what you allow to affect the rest of your life. Here are a few things to consider:

• Don’t let setbacks in one area drag you down everywhere else. If you lose your job, why stop going to the gym? If a project at work goes sideways, why let it impact the rest of your business?

• Zoom out. Take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Where do you want to be in 3, 6, or 12 months? What actions do you need to take now to get there, even if things feel off right now?

• Keep perspective. It’s easy to get sucked into the moment, but try to remember that the challenge you’re facing is just one part of your life—not the whole thing.

Final Thoughts

In tough times, it’s easy to let things spiral out of control. But if you can pause, take a breath, and be intentional about your actions, you’ll be in a much stronger position to keep moving forward—even when things aren’t going your way.

So next time you’re faced with a challenge, stop and ask yourself:

“What am I letting slip that doesn’t need to?”

It’s something worth thinking about.