Leave Everything Better Than You Found It

“Act the way you’d like to be and soon you’ll be the way you’d like to act.” – Bob Dylan

Without maintenance, everything in life degrades. If you stop taking care of your vehicle, it will eventually stop running. Neglecting relationships will lead to their erosion. Stop being active and you will gain weight. Upkeep is required everywhere, which is why we must remind ourselves of the mantra “leave everything better than you found it”.

Maintenance can be long and involved or quick and straightforward. But being proactive and doing ‘the thing’ everyday pays off dividends in the future. If you don’t brush your teeth for a whole year, brushing them for two hours will not undo the damage. Industry-wise, studies show establishments that relied heavily on reactive maintenance were associated with 3.3x more downtime and 16x times more defects1. As discussed previously, 65% of those who experienced a problem in their homes acknowledge that it could’ve been prevented by proactive maintenance and/or regular inspections2. Partner satisfaction is directly related to daily positive interactions3.

Sometimes the simplest things are best, as improvement is a journey. Showing kindness to a stranger in line could improve a day which was not going well. Tipping a server a bit extra could help them reach their financial goals quicker. Giving your friends or family your entire focus will deepen relationships. Obviously, there is also the standard life maintenance of replacing air filters in your home or making sure you take care of your vehicles.

Spot an issue while performing standard checks? Take the time to fix it then and there. A friend looks haggard? Take the time to ask them how things are. Your partner seems in a slump, put your phone down and talk it out. Focus on improving everything around you and reflect on how it improves yourself.

Action: Ask yourself in every situation ‘How can I leave this better?’.

Further Reading:

  1. Research Suggests Significant Benefits to Investing in Advanced Machinery Maintenance
  2. 2022 HIPPO HOUSEPOWER REPORT: HOW HOMEOWNERS ARE RESPONDING TO ESSENTIAL MAINTENANCE DURING A SHIFTING ECONOMY
  3. Couples’ Perceptions of Each Other’s Daily Affect: Empathic Accuracy, Assumed Similarity, and Indirect Accuracy

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