Each week, on the TV show, Fear Factor, a group of contestants Currently, I'm in the process of completing the second book in the DASH series, DASHing Through Your Health. I've enlisted the help of one of New York's finest internists, Dr. Marc Meltzer. Over the last few months, Dr. Meltzer has taught me a great many things about the human body and one of those things is the danger of internal bleeding. Internal bleeding is among the most dangerous conditions because it can initially go unnoticed because the injury isn't visible. As a result, by the time the person realizes something is wrong; it's sometimes too late to repair the damage.

However, internal bleeding isn't just a health hazard. It's also a business, financial, relational and spiritual hazard. All too often, we allow seemingly small injuries go untreated because they don't appear serious. Yet, below the surface, the very life is being drained out of our businesses, careers, finances, marriages, families and spirituality. In a very real sense, we are bleeding to death and we don't even know it.

I've experienced this internal bleeding firsthand. As you can imagine, I didn't wake up one day in my early 30s and say, "Now that I've achieved all of this success, I think I'd like to go to prison for three years." Instead, I started by taking just one little shortcut. I thought to myself, "That's no big deal. Everyone's doing it." Yet, that little shortcut started the internal bleeding. Before long, I was taking another shortcut and then another until I had literally slashed away my internal compass of right and wrong. I was hemorrhaging ethically and I didn't even know it. Fortunately, I was rescued by the judge who sentenced me to three years of extensive "rehabilitation."

Many people have a similar experience with regards to money. They have one month where they spend more than they make and attempt to correct the imbalance by just paying the minimum balance on their credit cards. After a few months, they find themselves unable to even make the minimal payment (which is now quite substantial) and therefore, they are forced to take a cash advance from the credit card. Of course, this only works for so long. Eventually, they run out of available credit and the situation becomes dire.

And perhaps the most common type of internal bleeding is the hemorrhaging that happens within a marriage. Invariably, in any marriage, one spouse will say or do something that wounds the other spouse. Perhaps, the wound results from a thoughtless comment, neglect or worse, a betrayal. In any event, it seems like a superficial wound at the time. In fact, often the injured spouse doesn't realize the extent of the damage. However, regardless of the cause, if the damage isn't repaired and steps aren't taken to prevent the wound from being re-opened, the internal bleeding will continue until the marriage eventually dies.

And the same process occurs in other relationships. It also happens in business. A business slowly loses customers month after month. At first, it appears to be just a normal fluctuation in business but before long, the business has grinded to a halt. Likewise, the same thing happens spiritually. You cut a few corners in your religious observances. Perhaps, you miss a few services. The internal bleeding has started. Before you know it, you've neglected your values and have completely lost your spiritual connection.

Of course, the solution to these types of problems is to stop the internet bleeding at the outset. However, this is often easier said than done because we don't always know there is a problem. Therefore, it's critical to be aware of your situation and look for any signs of internal bleeding.

In the financial context, this means that you must look for any signs of going into the red. Even if it's just $1, it's something to be concerned about it. Remember, even the smallest cut can become infected and become life-threatening if it isn't treated. Likewise, in the marital context, you must look for signs of injury to your spouse. Even if it's just a slight injury, repair the damage immediately. Don't let the wound fester. The same is true if you're the injured person. Don't simply ignore your feelings or tell yourself that you're being too sensitive. Acknowledge your feelings and then let your spouse know about them so that they don't inadvertently re- open the wound in the future. And the same principle holds true for any other type of internal bleeding.

Watch for signs of injury to your finances, marriage, relationships and career, find the source of the injury and repair it. And do it quickly. Internal bleeding that goes unchecked can be fatal to your dash.