Wen Tzu - Verse 72, Part V

from Verse Seventy-Two

If the Way is practiced a little bit, a little bit of good fortune is obtained. If the Way is practiced to a greater extent, more good fortune is obtained. If the Way were practiced to the fullest possible extent, the whole world would follow it, absorb it, and take it to heart.

~ Wen-tzu: Understanding the Mysteries ~

As with almost anything else in this life, half ass doesn't cut it!

Imagine that you are a violinist in a philharmonic. If you spend next to no time studying the music you will play for a solo at a major event, you probably won't perform very well. If you only focus on every other note, your solo performance will sound completely disjointed. Some people may wonder if you are stone cold drunk!

If you practice the first portion of the music you are to play, but neglect the second and third portions, then part of your solo may sound magnificent, but the rest will sound like crap.

The only way you can be confident that your performance will be up to par is if you study and practice the entirety of the music you are to play. Cut a few corners here and there -- you will pay the price.

This is how it is with anything and everything in our lives. Half ass efforts generally produce half ass results.

This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.