Not Fixing What is Not Broken

Life is funny. We never really know how well we are living life or accomplishing our goals in life. Instead, we are resigned to a guessing game of trying to figure out whether we are doing the right thing and whether we should do more of what we’re already doing or change it and make it better somehow. Even so, I believe in not fixing what is not broken and following your gut in terms of figuring out whether what you’re doing is the right thing. In my experience, what feels right and what your gut tells you is right is probably the right thing.

Following your Gut Feeling

In business, for instance, especially when starting a new company, you never really know how well you’ll do and whether what you’re doing is really working in ensuring that you reach your goals. Yeah, you can measure and analyze, but you never really know how well your product or service is touching the lives of others. For this quality or measurement, and to even achieve it in the first place, you need your gut to guide you on what is right and how to go about getting where you want to be.

Uncertainty as Part of Life

There is no need to fix what is not broken. Any endeavor in life, and life itself comes with a certain degree of uncertainty. As a result, you may not know whether your method is working or not or how you can improve it or make it more efficient. In these times, you need not fix something that is not broken because you may go trying to fix something that doesn’t need fixing and end up wrecking it.

The Nature of Good: Sensitivity to Touch

The dandelion is a perfect example of nature’s expression of ‘not fixing what is not broken’. The flower is very delicate and on touching it, while trying to fix a broken petal or whatever, you can easily ruin or break away all the petals. This sensitivity to touch which is characteristic of something that is already alright is the nature of everything.

I would even go as far as to say, it is the nature of good or being alright. Think of it this way, if you go fixing a jet’s engine that is not broken, then you risk the chance of breaking something and risking a crash. As such, if you check the engine and see that it is okay, then it would not make sense, even financial sense, to go repairing or improving it.

A Maze of Decisions and Indecisions

Life itself is a maze of decisions and indecisions. As complex as life already is, fixing something that is already good is just a giant waste of time and a bad use of your energy and resources. Think of it as a business decision, if my employees are working at peak performance and already doing well, then why would I change how they do their work when the company is already making good profits? Yes, I know there’s the idea of continuous improvement but sometimes, one can wreck what is already there while trying to improve.

There are exceptions to this rule but mostly when it comes to interpersonal relationships and some aspects of life such as parenting and so on. When in a relationship, trying to make things better or ‘fix’ something can be good for the relationship and improve it but is also risky. There’s a healthy amount of risk associated with trying to fix a relationship. It may bring to light some of the low points in the relationship and illuminate what needs to be worked on. On the other hand, it may open up unhealed wounds and bring up more problems, leaving the relationship worse off than it was already in the first place.

Long-term Solutions Over Fixes

In parenting, fixing something or at least trying to fix how you parent can be a good thing both in the short and long term. For instance, making sure that you attend more school events where your kids are participating can improve your bond with your child and your overall parenting success. However, there’s a thin line between fixing something and improving on it.

A ‘fix’, as it sounds like, is not a long-term solution and is likely to lead to another breakdown and hence require another fix. Instead, a long-term solution would suffice as the better option and would ensure the problem does not emerge again in the future. Therefore, improve and provide long-term solutions instead of patching up the situation. Whatever you do, try as much as you can to avoid fixing what is not broken. Concentrate your energy on other things, not what is already doing well.