If something is worth doing, then it is worth doing badly.

Many people are brought up on the old saying, "If a thing is worth doing it then it must be worth doing well."
I take it that this means that if you have chosen to do something then it makes sense to give it your best shot.

But sadly many people interpret it to mean "If you do not do it well then you are bad or stupid or lazy." And this makes them decide that the sensible course is not to do it at all.

In practice therefore the old saying becomes, "If a thing HAS to be done well then it will be such a pain that it is NOT worth doing it." And this, of course, leads to a lot not being done. Try to understand these few very simply analogy.

If you need to eat then it is worth preparing some food even if you cannot manage cordon bleu standard. If there is a hole in the roof then it is worth repairing it even if the roof does not look as good as new. If you feel that that girl is worth meeting then it is better to go over and say anything rather than to delay so long in trying to dream up that perfect witty, wise and wonderful opening remark that someone else gets in first with a banal, "Hi! How are you?" If an opportunity has come up in life, do NOT be put off because you cannot manage it perfectly at first. Chances are nobody could. If it's worth doing, it is worth accepting the usual beginner's mistakes and failures. If it is worth doing then it is certainly worth some failures along the way.

Be happy with what you have achieved. It's OK if it is far from perfect; you have given it your best shot.

Men succeed when they realize that their failures are the preparation for their victories.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson -