The devil is in the details

They say that hindsight is 20/20 and that history is a good teacher, and though I generally believe in this, what I have found out is that it does not always ring true.

- FRANCIS J. KONG

You knew eating that second slice of cake at midnight was a bad idea—and hindsight confirmed it. So did the weighing scale.

History has warned us about bubbles like those in tech, housing and crypto. But somehow, each time, we still convince ourselves, "This one's different."

Your gut told you that an email from the prince of Nigeria looked suspicious, but curiosity overpowered common sense. Yes, history teaches—but people skip class.

Wars have taught us the cost of pride and power-hunger, yet the world keeps inventing new ways to argue, bomb and blame.

Sometimes the past teaches the wrong lesson. One failed business pitch doesn't mean you should never pitch again. It might just mean you had spinach in your teeth.

"The devil is in the details" is a clever way of reminding us that small things, if overlooked, can lead to significant problems. As someone who believes in the pursuit of excellence in both craft and business, I admit that I've sometimes ignored the details in the pursuit of the big picture. But through years of leading, learning, and, yes, correcting mistakes, I've come to realize that greatness isn't found in broad strokes alone—it's in the brushstrokes we often ignore.

A white tablecloth with one tiny ink stain is technically 99 percent clean. But what will people notice? The stain. Because that's how the human brain works—we're wired to spot the flaw. In business, in relationships, in leadership, details either build trust or break it.