--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you can't fix what went wrong, then…" description: "\"“If you can't fix what went wrong, then fix what you can make right.”\" — Brigid Kemmerer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3f/brigid-kemmerer-2470_quote_if-you-can-t-fix-what-went-wrong-then-fi_1052321.jpg" --- # If you can't fix what went wrong, then fix what you can… ![“If you can't fix what went wrong, then fix what you can make right.” quote by Brigid Kemmerer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3f/brigid-kemmerer-2470_quote_if-you-can-t-fix-what-went-wrong-then-fi_1052321.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3f/brigid-kemmerer-2470_quote_if-you-can-t-fix-what-went-wrong-then-fi_1052321.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c3f/brigid-kemmerer-2470_quote_if-you-can-t-fix-what-went-wrong-then-fi_1052321.jpg) > ““If you can't fix what went wrong, then fix what you can make right.”” [Brigid Kemmerer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-kemmerer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages focusing on achievable improvements when larger problems seem insurmountable. **In simple terms:** Fix what you can when you can’t fix everything. Key Takeaway Take small, positive actions. Themes resilience agency problem solving Mood hopeful pragmatic Type motivational self‑help When to use this quote - daily routines - project management - personal growth - team leadership Key Concepts incremental change personal responsibility empowerment Questions to Reflect On - What small step can you take today? - When is it better to seek larger solutions? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on small fixes may ignore systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Broken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broken/) [Fix Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fix-make-2524259/) [Fix Went](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fix-went-2524258/) [Make Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-right/) [Went Wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/went-wrong/) [Wrong Fix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong-fix-2524257/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes you can fix something that went wrong with what you do next and make it better than it would have been if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bela-fleck/sometimes-you-can-fix-something-that-went-wrong-with-what-you-do-next/) [Bela Fleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bela-fleck/) > [Mend it, fix it, make do, or do without.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/mend-it-fix-it-make-do-or-do-without/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You broke my heart...again...but dont worry I'll just fix it and make it look brand new...so I can give it back to you and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-chable/you-broke-my-heart-again-but-dont-worry-i-ll-just-fix-it-and-make-it/) [Ana Chable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-chable/) > [I used to ask myself where I went wrong in life, but now I ask myself what I need to do to make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juanita-kay-ross/i-used-to-ask-myself-where-i-went-wrong-in-life-but-now-i-ask-myself/) [Juanita Kay Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juanita-kay-ross/) > [“If something is wrong, fix it if you can. But train yourself not to worry. Worry never fixes anything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/if-something-is-wrong-fix-it-if-you-can-but-train-yourself-not-to/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“Remember: when people tell you something's wrong or doesn't work, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what's wrong and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/remember-when-people-tell-you-something-s-wrong-or-doesn-t-work-they/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You've got to acknowledge what you did wrong and see if you can fix it to the extent possible, and turn the page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-la-russa/you-ve-got-to-acknowledge-what-you-did-wrong-and-see-if-you-can-fix/) [Tony La Russa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-la-russa/) > [“His expression changed, and he took a step back. He looked away. "When you said it was broken , you were just being-" "No!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-kemmerer/his-expression-changed-and-he-took-a-step-back-he-looked-away-when/) [Brigid Kemmerer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-kemmerer/) > [But somewhere we went wrong, we were once so strong..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/but-somewhere-we-went-wrong-we-were-once-so-strong/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [Something always went wrong, and the relationship would end precisely at the moment when she was sure that this was the person with whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/something-always-went-wrong-and-the-relationship-would-end-precisely/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Everything on 'Sharknado' somehow, for some reason, something went wrong with everything. The days we had the water towers, they weren't working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassie-scerbo/everything-on-sharknado-somehow-for-some-reason-something-went-wrong/) [Cassie Scerbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassie-scerbo/) > [“Hierarchy was like breathing: the only time you thought about it was when something went wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lynn-barnes/hierarchy-was-like-breathing-the-only-time-you-thought-about-it-was/) [Jennifer Lynn Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lynn-barnes/) > [Stories set in the Culture in which Things Went Wrong tended to start with humans losing or forgetting or deliberately leaving behind their terminal.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stories-set-in-the-culture-in-which-things-went-wrong-tended-to-start/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It;s all gone. My life is all gone and I can't work out why. I keep looking back over my life...and I can't work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-koomson/it-s-all-gone-my-life-is-all-gone-and-i-can-t-work-out-why-i-keep/) [Dorothy Koomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-koomson/) > [Sometimes you have to stop telling folks about themselves and leave it up to them to figure out where they went wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-lobbins/sometimes-you-have-to-stop-telling-folks-about-themselves-and-leave/) [Danielle Lobbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-lobbins/) ## More by Brigid Kemmerer > [“What is with you?” said Chris. “Don’t worry,” said Quinn. “I already know he’s an ass.” “Love you, too,” said Gabriel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-kemmerer/what-is-with-you-said-chris-don-t-worry-said-quinn-i-already-know-he/) [Brigid Kemmerer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-kemmerer/) > [“He offered to make-out with Hunter if it would prove that he's ok with me being gay." "Hmm," said Adam. "Yeah I think I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-kemmerer/he-offered-to-make-out-with-hunter-if-it-would-prove-that-he-s-ok/) [Brigid Kemmerer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-kemmerer/) > [“Given that sin x = 1⁄4 and x is in Quadrant II, find the exact values of sin2 x and cos2 x WTF. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-kemmerer/given-that-sin-x-1-4-and-x-is-in-quadrant-ii-find-the-exact-values-of/) [Brigid Kemmerer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-kemmerer/) > [“I like you.” “I like you, too.” “I’ve liked you since the morning you ran into me.” I giggle and try to shove him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-kemmerer/i-like-you-i-like-you-too-i-ve-liked-you-since-the-morning-you-ran/) [Brigid Kemmerer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-kemmerer/) > [“He half rose from his seat and reached across another student’s desk to drop the mangled paper clip in front of Tommy. “Look, dude,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-kemmerer/he-half-rose-from-his-seat-and-reached-across-another-student-s-desk/) [Brigid Kemmerer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-kemmerer/) > [“Touch was funny like that. How one movement could choke you and kill you, but another meant nothing more than a caress and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-kemmerer/touch-was-funny-like-that-how-one-movement-could-choke-you-and-kill/) [Brigid Kemmerer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-kemmerer/) > [“His expression changed, and he took a step back. He looked away. "When you said it was broken , you were just being-" "No!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-kemmerer/his-expression-changed-and-he-took-a-step-back-he-looked-away-when/) [Brigid Kemmerer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-kemmerer/) > [“Kristin comes down the stairs, and the pressure on my chest snaps. I take a moment to turn away, inhaling deeply, blinking away tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-kemmerer/kristin-comes-down-the-stairs-and-the-pressure-on-my-chest-snaps-i/) [Brigid Kemmerer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-kemmerer/) > [“Hunter stared back at him until Michael raised his eyebrows in a Dude, wtf? expression. Hunter shook himself. "Yeah. Sure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-kemmerer/hunter-stared-back-at-him-until-michael-raised-his-eyebrows-in-a-dude/) [Brigid Kemmerer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-kemmerer/) > [“She almost wished she smoked, so she could lie on the car’s hood, flick a lighter, and make up names for the constellations while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-kemmerer/she-almost-wished-she-smoked-so-she-could-lie-on-the-car-s-hood-flick/) [Brigid Kemmerer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-kemmerer/) > [ “You're probably thinking I owe you my life."\[Chris\] "No." she \[Becca\] snapped. "Just sixty bucks." "You charge for the hero act?" \[Chris\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-kemmerer/you-re-probably-thinking-i-owe-you-my-life-chris-no-she-becca-snapped/) [Brigid Kemmerer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-kemmerer/) > [“Scared of storms?” She jumped. The voice had come from behind her, and she forced her hands to her sides, ready to feign nonchalance.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-kemmerer/scared-of-storms-she-jumped-the-voice-had-come-from-behind-her-and/) [Brigid Kemmerer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-kemmerer/) > [“Before their final trip, Hunter's father had imparted one last lesson, and death had made it stick: Use them before they use you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-kemmerer/before-their-final-trip-hunter-s-father-had-imparted-one-last-lesson/) [Brigid Kemmerer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-kemmerer/) > [“Becca watched New Kid work the cutlery. “Bet you wish you’d given up your seat now, huh?” “Oh.” Quinn settled back on the bench…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-kemmerer/becca-watched-new-kid-work-the-cutlery-bet-you-wish-you-d-given-up/) [Brigid Kemmerer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-kemmerer/) > [“Nick's eyes were like ice. 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I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Marriage is a desperate thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-selden/marriage-is-a-desperate-thing/) [John Selden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-selden/) > [The child who ran weeping to you with a cut finger is now brought home, smiling gamely, with a broken collarbone and incredible contusions-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-brown/the-child-who-ran-weeping-to-you-with-a-cut-finger-is-now-brought/) [Pam Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-brown/) > [There is no pain like the first time you get your heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/there-is-no-pain-like-the-first-time-you-get-your-heart-broken/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [Broken china lasts longer than unbroken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-renard/broken-china-lasts-longer-than-unbroken/) [Jules Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-renard/) > [My life was incoherent to me. 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