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Many leave the labours of half their life to their…

“Many leave the labours of half their life to their executors and to chance, because they will not send them abroad unfinished, and are unable to finish them, having prescribed to themselves such a degree of exactness as human diligence can scarcely ontain.” quote by Samuel Johnson
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“Many leave the labours of half their life to their executors and to chance, because they will not send them abroad unfinished, and are unable to finish them, having prescribed to themselves such a degree of exactness as human diligence can scarcely ontain.”

Samuel Johnson

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

People often abandon unfinished work, delegating it to others or chance, because they fear leaving it incomplete and lack the precision to finish it themselves.

In simple terms: People avoid finishing tasks, leaving them to others due to fear of imperfection.

Key Takeaway

Embrace completion, not perfection.

Themes

responsibility perfectionism delegation human limitation

Mood

thoughtful critical

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

  • project management
  • personal goals
  • academic research
  • craftsmanship

Key Concepts

philosophy ethics

Questions to Reflect On

  • What tasks are you avoiding?
  • How can you balance quality and completion?
A Different Perspective

Perfectionism can paralyze progress.

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