The last straw. It gets all the attention. “It was the last straw” people say. People think that the “last straw” is what causes disastrous consequences. Consequences like someone quitting their job or leaving a relationship or giving up on a business venture. It is not.

What people forget to notice is the other hundred little straws that made this last one matter. People only remember the last bad thing that happened to someone before they quit or leave or do something else permanent.

Try to seek out the trail of penultimate straws that lead to any catastrophic event. You’ll find there are many.