--- title: Tunnel Vision description: Entrepreneurs can get tunnel vision, focusing on putting out the obvious ‘fires,’ when what really imperils their business may be something entirely different. image: https://www.tonycaldwell.net/hubfs/Stock%20images/Business%20person%20looking%20at%20wall%20with%20light%20tunnel%20opening%20concept.jpeg --- [![Logo - TC](https://www.tonycaldwell.net/hubfs/Tony%20Caldwell/Logo%20-%20TC.png) ](https://www.tonycaldwell.net) - Type - Topic March 25, 2014 # Tunnel Vision Blog, entrepreneurship, strategy - [**](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.tonycaldwell.net/blog/tunnel-vision) - [**](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?source=https://www.tonycaldwell.net/blog/tunnel-vision&text=Tunnel%20Vision) - [**](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.tonycaldwell.net/blog/tunnel-vision&title=&summary=&source=) - [**](mailto:?&subject=https://www.tonycaldwell.net/blog/tunnel-vision&body=https://www.tonycaldwell.net/blog/tunnel-vision) In discussing how pilots react to emergencies, I was reminded of something I learned in self-defense classes. In extreme stress, the human body is programmed to direct all its energies to what is most important. One of the outcomes of this is tunnel vision where one literally cannot see except directly in front of them. Similar reductions in mental bandwidth happen to pilots in emergencies. This makes me wonder. What happens to the entrepreneur when an emergency happens? In our business as agency developers working with entrepreneurs to build growing insurance agencies, we see people get into situations from time to time that could be considered emergencies. When that happens, I see a similar pattern of a narrowing of focus and reduction of bandwidth. When problems strike, we often can only see the problem in front of us and everything else recedes into the background unseen, unrecognized and un-dealt with. This is good to a point because in an emergency—whether in the sky or in our business—we need to focus on the problem and get it fixed. It also can be fatal. This is because problems often don’t come one at a time. In some cases, problems create other problems. In other cases, they just show up when we’re stressed and focused on something else. As an example, think about the fact that in house fires the thing that scares people is the fire, but what usually kills them is the smoke.  Problems in our businesses can be like that.  Every business experiences crisis sooner or later.  How can we make sure that while we fight the fire the smoke doesn’t kill us? I’ll address that next time. [Tony Caldwell Tony Caldwell is a modern “renaissance man,” who is not only immensely successful in the field of insurance, but is also a writer, children’s advocate, mentor and even a licensed pilot. Always keen on helping others make their dreams come true, Tony and his team have helped independent agents grow into more than 250 independent agencies. This has made OAA the number one ranked Strategic Master Agency of SIAA for the last 5 years, and one of Oklahoma's 25 Best Companies to Work for. Tony loves to share his knowledge, insight and wisdom through his bestselling books as well as in free mediums including podcasts and blogs. Tony and his family are members of Crossings Community Church, and he is very active in community initiatives: he’s chairman of It’s My Community Initiative, Inc., a nonprofit working with disadvantaged people in Oklahoma City; and chairman of the Oklahoma Board of Juvenile Affairs., and he has served through many other organizations including the Salvation Army, Last Frontier Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and the Rotary Club. In his spare time, Tony enjoys time with his family. He’s also an active outdoorsman and instrument-rated commercial pilot. ](https://www.tonycaldwell.net/blog/author/tony-caldwell) 1 minute read ## Recent Posts ### [Plant The Garden You Won't Live to See](https://www.tonycaldwell.net/blog/plant-the-garden-you-wont-live-to-see) Plant the Garden You Won't Live to See What Le Notre Knew About Building Institutions That Outlast Their Founders Here is a question most builders never ask themselves out loud. ... ### [Overcoming Insurance Industry Challenges](https://www.tonycaldwell.net/blog/insurance-industry-challenges) Those of us who own insurance agencies are no strangers to industry challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic brought several of the latest issues racing to the forefront as individuals ... ### [The Future of Digital Trends in the Insurance Industry](https://www.tonycaldwell.net/blog/digital-trends-in-insurance-industry) The times, as they say, they are a’changing! 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