--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Finish every day and be done with it. For…" description: "\"“Finish every day and be done with it. For manners and for wise living it is a vice to remember. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurd..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_defeat_finish-every-day-and-be-done-with-it-for_2561102.png" --- # Finish every day and be done with it. For manners and for… ![“Finish every day and be done with it. For manners and for wise living it is a vice to remember. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it well and serenely, and with too high a spirit to…” quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_defeat_finish-every-day-and-be-done-with-it-for_2561102.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_defeat_finish-every-day-and-be-done-with-it-for_2561102.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/879/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_defeat_finish-every-day-and-be-done-with-it-for_2561102.png) > ““Finish every day and be done with it. For manners and for wise living it is a vice to remember. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it well and serenely, and with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense. This day for all that is good and fair. It is too dear, with its hopes and invitations, to waste a moment on the rotten yesterdays.”” [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Each day should be completed without lingering regrets; let go of past mistakes and greet tomorrow with a fresh, hopeful mindset. **In simple terms:** Finish today, start tomorrow anew. Key Takeaway Release yesterday’s errors, embrace today’s promise. Themes mindfulness renewal optimism Mood hopeful determined Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - daily journaling - morning meditation - goal setting - stress management - personal growth Key Concepts stoicism self‑compassion Questions to Reflect On - What can you let go of now? - How will you greet tomorrow differently? A Different Perspective Ignoring past lessons can repeat mistakes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) [Fresh start](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fresh-start/) [Lust for life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lust-for-life/) [Mental health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-health/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [New day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-day/) [Self help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-help/) [Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tomorrow/) [Tomorrow is a new day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tomorrow-is-a-new-day/) [Wellbeing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wellbeing/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) ## Related quotes > [Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/finish-each-day-and-be-done-with-it-you-have-done-what-you-could-some-3/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/finish-each-day-and-be-done-with-it-you-have-done-what-you-could-some-2/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt have crept in; forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/finish-every-day-and-be-done-with-it-you-have-done-what-you-could/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Finish each day and be done with it. Tomorrow is a new day. Begin it serenely & with too high spirit to be encumbered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/finish-each-day-and-be-done-with-it-tomorrow-is-a-new-day-begin-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in, forget them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/finish-each-day-and-be-done-with-it-you-have-done-what-you-could-some/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/tomorrow-is-a-new-day-begin-it-well-and-serenely-and-with-too-high-a/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it well and serenely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/tomorrow-is-a-new-day-you-shall-begin-it-well-and-serenely/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. He is rich who owns the day, and no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/write-it-on-your-heart-that-every-day-is-the-best-day-in-the-year-he/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/tomorrow-is-a-new-day-you-shall-begin-it-serenely-and-with-too-high-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Finish each day and be thankful for it. You have done what you could. Learn from it. Tomorrow is a new day of opportunities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/finish-each-day-and-be-thankful-for-it-you-have-done-what-you-could/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Finish each day & be done with it. You have done what you could. Learn from it; tomorrow is a new day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/finish-each-day-be-done-with-it-you-have-done-what-you-could-learn/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Finish every day and be done with it..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/finish-every-day-and-be-done-with-it/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Tomorrow is a new day and a new start to make things the best they can be! Let someone know what they mean to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/tomorrow-is-a-new-day-and-a-new-start-to-make-things-the-best-they/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life's too short to hang on to the past. Tomorrow is a new day. Cherish the future!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-s-too-short-to-hang-on-to-the-past-tomorrow-is-a-new-day-cherish/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lm-montgomery/isn-t-it-nice-to-think-that-tomorrow-is-a-new-day-with-no-mistakes-in/) LM Montgomery ## More by Ralph Waldo Emerson > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If we will not interfere with our thought, but will act entirely, or see how the thing stands in God, we know the particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-we-will-not-interfere-with-our-thought-but-will-act-entirely-or/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-cannot-speak-but-he-judges-himself-with-his-will-or-against-his/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Consideration is the soil in which wisdom may be expected to grow, and strength be given to every up-springing plant of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/consideration-is-the-soil-in-which-wisdom-may-be-expected-to-grow-and/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“There is then creative reading as well as creative writing. When the mind is braced by labor and invention, the page of whatever book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/there-is-then-creative-reading-as-well-as-creative-writing-when-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The order of things consents to virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-order-of-things-consents-to-virtue/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Life only avails, not the having lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/life-only-avails-not-the-having-lived/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Another success is the post-office, with its educating energy augmented by cheapness and guarded by a certain religious sentimentin mankind; so that the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/another-success-is-the-post-office-with-its-educating-energy/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [A child reminds us that playtime is an essential part of our daily routine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-child-reminds-us-that-playtime-is-an-essential-part-of-our-daily/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [No man can be criticised but by a greater than he. Do not, then, read the reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/no-man-can-be-criticised-but-by-a-greater-than-he-do-not-then-read/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Coal lay in ledges under the ground since the Flood, until a laborer with pick and windlass brings it to the surface. We may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/coal-lay-in-ledges-under-the-ground-since-the-flood-until-a-laborer/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I am; therefore, I had nothing better to do than to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/i-am-therefore-i-had-nothing-better-to-do-than-to-think/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [In a library we are surrounded by many hundreds of dear friends, but they are imprisoned by an enchanter in these paper and leathern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/in-a-library-we-are-surrounded-by-many-hundreds-of-dear-friends-but/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The compensations of calamity are made apparent to the understanding also, after long intervals of time. A fever, a mutilation, a cruel disappointment, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-compensations-of-calamity-are-made-apparent-to-the-understanding/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) [Explore all 4,802 Ralph Waldo Emerson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## More Defeat quotes > [A poor self-image is the magnifying glass that can transform a trivial mistake or an imperfection into an overwhelming symbol of personal defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/a-poor-self-image-is-the-magnifying-glass-that-can-transform-a/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Even though you can't expect to defeat the absurdity of the world, you must make that attempt. That's morality, that's religion. That's art. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-ochs/even-though-you-can-t-expect-to-defeat-the-absurdity-of-the-world-you/) [Phil Ochs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-ochs/) > [The devil has been defeated, stop trying to defeat him. What we have left is the fight of faith, and it's a good fight!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-oyakhilome/the-devil-has-been-defeated-stop-trying-to-defeat-him-what-we-have/) [Chris Oyakhilome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-oyakhilome/) > [If Pete’s (Sampras) child is a girl, my son will like her; if he’s a boy, my son will defeat him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-agassi/if-pete-s-sampras-child-is-a-girl-my-son-will-like-her-if-he-s-a-boy/) [Andre Agassi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-agassi/) > [All our efforts to defeat poverty and pursue sustainable development will be in vain if environmental degradation and natural resource depletion continue unabated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/all-our-efforts-to-defeat-poverty-and-pursue-sustainable-development/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [Defeat furnishes good material to the poets and the artists, but none of us care to have the glory of the conquered apply to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-glaspell/defeat-furnishes-good-material-to-the-poets-and-the-artists-but-none/) [Susan Glaspell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-glaspell/) > [“We don't have to defeat any individual but our own self.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/we-don-t-have-to-defeat-any-individual-but-our-own-self/) [Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/) > [“Defeat is a disease, and victory is the cure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/defeat-is-a-disease-and-victory-is-the-cure/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The glow of victory and the harsh chill of defeat are two sides of the same coin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-lenartowicz/the-glow-of-victory-and-the-harsh-chill-of-defeat-are-two-sides-of/) Maria Lenartowicz > [After a big defeat, any player feels affected - it is about how long he needs to recover.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerardo-martino/after-a-big-defeat-any-player-feels-affected-it-is-about-how-long-he/) [Gerardo Martino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerardo-martino/) > [I have clearly said we faced terrorist enemies who use Islam to justify slaughtering innocent people and we have to stop them and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-have-clearly-said-we-faced-terrorist-enemies-who-use-islam-to/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The ultimate aim of Karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gichin-funakoshi/the-ultimate-aim-of-karate-lies-not-in-victory-or-defeat-but-in-the/) [Gichin Funakoshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gichin-funakoshi/) > [It has never been more critical that a leader step forward to accelerate our understanding of cancer - and champion the effort to finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-j-dzau/it-has-never-been-more-critical-that-a-leader-step-forward-to/) Victor J. Dzau > [“It would seem no matter how progressive we get there are always those few who are backwards in their ways.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solange-nicole/it-would-seem-no-matter-how-progressive-we-get-there-are-always-those/) [Solange nicole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solange-nicole/) [Browse all 2,603 Defeat quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Finish every day and be done with it. For manners and for wise living it is a vice to remember. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it well and serenely, and with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense. This day for all that is good and fair. 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