"No soporto ver una cosa a medio hacer. Si algo está mal, arréglalo si puedes. Pero entrena tu mente para no preocuparte en vano."
Quote meaning
The essence of the quote is pretty straightforward: Be thorough in your efforts, correct mistakes when possible, but don’t waste time fretting over things you can't change.
The advice here is timeless. It suggests a balance between diligence and practicality. It's about putting your best foot forward and finishing what you start. At the same time, it also emphasizes that worrying about things you can’t fix is pointless—it just drains your energy and focus.
Let's talk about a real-world scenario to illustrate this. Imagine you’re working on a group project in school or at work. You’re the one who insists on checking all the details, making sure everything is perfect. Your teammate, however, rushes through their part, leaving a section that’s clearly half-baked. You can’t stand it. Your first instinct might be to stress out, thinking about how this could mess up the entire project. But instead of letting that anxiety take over, you decide to step in and fix what you can. You correct the errors, improve the presentation, and fill in any gaps.
In doing so, you’re not just fixing the project—you’re also showing your team the importance of quality work. But what if you can’t fix it completely? Maybe there’s a deadline looming, and you simply don’t have the time to make it perfect. That’s when the last part of the quote comes into play. You train yourself to let go of that worry. Accept that you’ve done what you could, and move on.
So, how can you apply this wisdom in your own life? First, adopt a mindset of thoroughness. When you start something, whether it’s a work task, a hobby, or even a personal goal, commit to finishing it. Half-done efforts rarely bring satisfaction or success. Second, when you spot an error or problem, fix it if you can—right then and there. Procrastination only extends the life of the problem. Lastly, practice letting go of things that are out of your control. Worrying about the unchangeable is like running on a hamster wheel—lots of effort, no progress.
Think about a time you had a big presentation. Maybe you were up late the night before, tweaking your slides, rehearsing your speech. You notice a typo on one slide and correct it, but then you start worrying about all the other possible mistakes. Did you miss another typo? Is your data accurate? What if the tech doesn’t work? You’re spiraling. But then, you remember the core idea: fix what you can and let go of the rest. You correct the obvious error, do a final review, and then you stop. You trust in your preparation and sleep soundly.
When you get up there the next day, you’re focused, confident. Even if something small goes wrong, you know you’ve done everything in your power to prepare. You’re not bogged down by worry because you’ve trained yourself to focus on action, not anxiety.
This quote is like a compass—it guides you towards proactive effort and away from futile worry. It's a reminder that while we can't control everything, we can control our actions and attitudes. So, next time you’re fretting about something half-done, fix what you can and then give yourself permission to move on. You’ll be more productive, and a lot happier too.
The advice here is timeless. It suggests a balance between diligence and practicality. It's about putting your best foot forward and finishing what you start. At the same time, it also emphasizes that worrying about things you can’t fix is pointless—it just drains your energy and focus.
Let's talk about a real-world scenario to illustrate this. Imagine you’re working on a group project in school or at work. You’re the one who insists on checking all the details, making sure everything is perfect. Your teammate, however, rushes through their part, leaving a section that’s clearly half-baked. You can’t stand it. Your first instinct might be to stress out, thinking about how this could mess up the entire project. But instead of letting that anxiety take over, you decide to step in and fix what you can. You correct the errors, improve the presentation, and fill in any gaps.
In doing so, you’re not just fixing the project—you’re also showing your team the importance of quality work. But what if you can’t fix it completely? Maybe there’s a deadline looming, and you simply don’t have the time to make it perfect. That’s when the last part of the quote comes into play. You train yourself to let go of that worry. Accept that you’ve done what you could, and move on.
So, how can you apply this wisdom in your own life? First, adopt a mindset of thoroughness. When you start something, whether it’s a work task, a hobby, or even a personal goal, commit to finishing it. Half-done efforts rarely bring satisfaction or success. Second, when you spot an error or problem, fix it if you can—right then and there. Procrastination only extends the life of the problem. Lastly, practice letting go of things that are out of your control. Worrying about the unchangeable is like running on a hamster wheel—lots of effort, no progress.
Think about a time you had a big presentation. Maybe you were up late the night before, tweaking your slides, rehearsing your speech. You notice a typo on one slide and correct it, but then you start worrying about all the other possible mistakes. Did you miss another typo? Is your data accurate? What if the tech doesn’t work? You’re spiraling. But then, you remember the core idea: fix what you can and let go of the rest. You correct the obvious error, do a final review, and then you stop. You trust in your preparation and sleep soundly.
When you get up there the next day, you’re focused, confident. Even if something small goes wrong, you know you’ve done everything in your power to prepare. You’re not bogged down by worry because you’ve trained yourself to focus on action, not anxiety.
This quote is like a compass—it guides you towards proactive effort and away from futile worry. It's a reminder that while we can't control everything, we can control our actions and attitudes. So, next time you’re fretting about something half-done, fix what you can and then give yourself permission to move on. You’ll be more productive, and a lot happier too.
Related tags
Attention to detail Completion Determination Effective habits Perfectionism Positive mindset Proactivity Problem-solving Resilience Self-improvement
MORE QUOTES BY William Faulkner