--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you're trying to figure out why…" description: "\"“If you're trying to figure out why something's not working,” Old Lou had explained, “just focus on the things that do work. Move through those things ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/671/danika-stone-230562_difficulty_if-you-re-trying-to-figure-out-why-somet_816626.jpg" --- # If you're trying to figure out why something's not… ![“If you're trying to figure out why something's not working,” Old Lou had explained, “just focus on the things that do work. Move through those things first and eventually you'll find the one part that's stuck.” quote by Danika Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/671/danika-stone-230562_difficulty_if-you-re-trying-to-figure-out-why-somet_816626.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/671/danika-stone-230562_difficulty_if-you-re-trying-to-figure-out-why-somet_816626.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/671/danika-stone-230562_difficulty_if-you-re-trying-to-figure-out-why-somet_816626.jpg) > ““If you're trying to figure out why something's not working,” Old Lou had explained, “just focus on the things that do work. Move through those things first and eventually you'll find the one part that's stuck.”” [Danika Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danika-stone/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focus on successful aspects first; solving problems incrementally leads to breakthroughs. **In simple terms:** Start with what works. Key Takeaway Prioritize effective actions. Themes problem‑solving focus incremental progress Mood self‑help business Type Difficulty:1 Focus:1 Life:0 Obstacles:0 Philosophy of life:0 Results:0 Work:0 Ll Stuck:0 Just Focus:0 Focus Things:0 Lou Explained:0 Key Concepts business strategy personal development coaching sessions Questions to Reflect On - practical - encouraging A Different Perspective What works can be leveraged first?;How does incremental focus prevent overwhelm? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Difficulty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficulty/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Focus Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus-things/) [Just Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-focus/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Ll Stuck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ll-stuck-247963/) [Lou Explained](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lou-explained-328795/) [Obstacles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obstacles/) [Philosophy of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-life/) [Results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/results/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [No matter what I do I'll always be stuck on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-stalin/no-matter-what-i-do-i-ll-always-be-stuck-on-you/) [J Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-stalin/) > [I don't believe in writer's block. I'll get stuck, but being stuck, I'll still write a verse. If you know where you're going, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakim/i-don-t-believe-in-writer-s-block-i-ll-get-stuck-but-being-stuck-i-ll/) [Rakim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakim/) > [I've been lucky enough to be too busy for TV because if I'm not, I'll get stuck in front of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-kaye-thomas/i-ve-been-lucky-enough-to-be-too-busy-for-tv-because-if-i-m-not-i-ll/) [Eddie Kaye Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-kaye-thomas/) > [“But whatever you do, don’t stay still, you’ll get stuck. That will unravel you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-powell-watts/but-whatever-you-do-don-t-stay-still-you-ll-get-stuck-that-will/) [Stephanie Powell Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-powell-watts/) > [Don't give up! If you give up you'll be STUCK where you're at now. A place you don't want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/don-t-give-up-if-you-give-up-you-ll-be-stuck-where-you-re-at-now-a/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [If we don't move with time, we'll be stuck in old ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nana-patekar/if-we-don-t-move-with-time-we-ll-be-stuck-in-old-ways/) [Nana Patekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nana-patekar/) > [I'll never get stuck in the corner doing just one thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/da-brat/i-ll-never-get-stuck-in-the-corner-doing-just-one-thing/) [Da Brat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/da-brat/) > [If you stand still long enough, you'll get stuck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hasselhoff/if-you-stand-still-long-enough-you-ll-get-stuck/) [David Hasselhoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hasselhoff/) > [Know what you want to do, because if you don't know what you want to do, you'll get stuck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-clarke-duncan/know-what-you-want-to-do-because-if-you-don-t-know-what-you-want-to/) [Michael Clarke Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-clarke-duncan/) > [Focus only on things you love, feel love, and you will experience that love and joy coming back to you - multiplied!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/focus-only-on-things-you-love-feel-love-and-you-will-experience-that/) [Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/) > [Wrestling is all I've known since I was 17 so it's time I let myself focus on other things and explored other parts of myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-logan/wrestling-is-all-i-ve-known-since-i-was-17-so-it-s-time-i-let-myself/) [Sarah Logan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-logan/) > [Focus on the things you want and not on the things you fear. Always stay focused, be optimistic and confident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/focus-on-the-things-you-want-and-not-on-the-things-you-fear-always/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Try to focus on the things that you do have instead of obsessing over things you don't](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-hart/try-to-focus-on-the-things-that-you-do-have-instead-of-obsessing-over/) [Hannah Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-hart/) > [“I could never rule out my own inability to focus on things that didn’t interest me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meghan-ciana-doidge/i-could-never-rule-out-my-own-inability-to-focus-on-things-that-didn/) [Meghan Ciana Doidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meghan-ciana-doidge/) > [I can let go of a lot of stuff, but I focus on things I think I should, like dancing, because it takes 100…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuan-yuan-tan/i-can-let-go-of-a-lot-of-stuff-but-i-focus-on-things-i-think-i-should/) [Yuan Yuan Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuan-yuan-tan/) ## More Difficulty quotes > [So many things beat upon us in a lifetime that simply enduring may seem almost beyond us… But the test a loving God has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/so-many-things-beat-upon-us-in-a-lifetime-that-simply-enduring-may/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [My team and I have reunited two elements that coexist with diffiulty: respect and affection, because when they love you they don't respect you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/my-team-and-i-have-reunited-two-elements-that-coexist-with-diffiulty/) [Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/) > [By the time you have no difficulties in your life, you have achieved Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brown/by-the-time-you-have-no-difficulties-in-your-life-you-have-achieved/) [Charles Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brown/) > [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/) [Sheila Kamerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-kamerman/) > [The purpose is to be in gratitude forever. Live with applied consciousness, prosperity will break through the walls, flood you with it. You do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh-yogi/the-purpose-is-to-be-in-gratitude-forever-live-with-applied/) [Harbhajan Singh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh-yogi/) > [One of the difficulties of photography is that it is much better at being explicit than at being reticent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/one-of-the-difficulties-of-photography-is-that-it-is-much-better-at/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [There is usually no dreamer so unworldly as the anthologist. He wanders in a vast garden, lost in wonder, unable to decide often between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-webb/there-is-usually-no-dreamer-so-unworldly-as-the-anthologist-he/) [Mary Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-webb/) > [We're also fairly stubborn, I think, fairly independent. We have our share of difficulties with our federal government, although I've tried to as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-miller/we-re-also-fairly-stubborn-i-think-fairly-independent-we-have-our/) [Dan Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-miller/) > [Christianity does not oppose debauchery and uncontrollable passions and the like as much as it opposes... flat mediocrity, this nauseating atmosphere, this homey, civil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/christianity-does-not-oppose-debauchery-and-uncontrollable-passions/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [God often hides His blessing in trouble or trial, which makes it all the sweeter when it comes our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/god-often-hides-his-blessing-in-trouble-or-trial-which-makes-it-all/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Dominion is a spy novel, a love story, and also I hope gives some sense of the difficulties faced by dissidents under any totalitarian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-sansom/dominion-is-a-spy-novel-a-love-story-and-also-i-hope-gives-some-sense/) [C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) > [A perfect movie is a different thing, but a funny movie is easy. I was really happy that I got everyone that I got.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/a-perfect-movie-is-a-different-thing-but-a-funny-movie-is-easy-i-was/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [The further You go away, more difficult it will be for You to come back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghav-singh/the-further-you-go-away-more-difficult-it-will-be-for-you-to-come-back/) [Raghav Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghav-singh/) > [Gun control laws don't work. What is worse, they act perversely. While legitimate users of firearms encounter intense regulation, scrutiny and bureaucratic control, illicit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-polsby/gun-control-laws-don-t-work-what-is-worse-they-act-perversely-while/) [Daniel D. Polsby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-d-polsby/) > [I do not underestimate the difficulty of the challenge that global climate change presents to us. It will take a significant effort and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-pena/i-do-not-underestimate-the-difficulty-of-the-challenge-that-global/) [Federico Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-pena/) [Browse all 3,282 Difficulty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficulty/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If you're trying to figure out why something's not working,” Old Lou had explained, “just focus on the things that do work. Move through those things first and eventually you'll find the one part that's stuck.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Danika Stone" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danika-stone/if-you-re-trying-to-figure-out-why-something-s-not-working-old-lou/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Difficulty" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danika-stone/if-you-re-trying-to-figure-out-why-something-s-not-working-old-lou/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/671/danika-stone-230562_difficulty_if-you-re-trying-to-figure-out-why-somet_816626.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/671/danika-stone-230562_difficulty_if-you-re-trying-to-figure-out-why-somet_816626.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/671/danika-stone-230562_difficulty_if-you-re-trying-to-figure-out-why-somet_816626.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you're trying to figure out why something's not working,” Old Lou had explained, “just focus on the…” — Danika Stone", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Danika Stone", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danika-stone/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If you're trying to figure out...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danika-stone/if-you-re-trying-to-figure-out-why-something-s-not-working-old-lou/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danika-stone/if-you-re-trying-to-figure-out-why-something-s-not-working-old-lou/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```