A Stitch In Time Saves Nine – Or Does It?

Reaching for my sewing box this morning to mend a hem, I lamented not having got to this sooner. If I’d fixed the hem when I first noticed it had become undone, there would be less to sew now.

And my mind went to the saying: A stitch in time saves nine.

And then I pondered the opposite: Cross that bridge when you come to it.

And then I realized that many well-known proverbs have an opposite.

• Too many cooks spoil the broth. Many hands make light work.
• Look before you leap. He who hesitates is lost.
• Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Out of sight, out of mind.
• Birds of a feather flock together. Opposites attract.
• Better safe than sorry. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

And the point of this?

There is always another way to frame a situation.

The challenge is to know which frame will serve you best. And to recognize that you may err in your choice of frame.

When favouring one course of action, perhaps consider:

Alternatives

If you’re tending to believe, ‘If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it’ what might be the result of a lack of action now?

Will improvement really cause a loss of value? What if a rival develops a superior approach in the meanwhile?

Balance

What is the degree to which you are favouring one course of action over another?

In the case of, ‘Actions speak louder than words,’ have you sufficiently considered the possible consequences of acting without thinking things through and garnering different perspectives?

Context

Really, what is the situation here? What does it require?

Who is involved, what are their interests, capabilities, and current capacities? Is a ‘Jack of all trades, and master of none’ good enough, or do you need ‘A master of one (who) is worth ten of none’?

Do you notice you tend to favour one saying over its opposite?

What does that say about you – and how does it impact your behaviour?

One of mine, which perplexed me as a child, but which I began to favour: Empty vessels make most noise.

The consequence: Being very careful with my choice of words – to the point of overthinking and not always raising my voice.

If you notice a bias towards one saying, here’s my request: Try on its opposite for a – possibly helpful – reframe.

A final reflection.

What was the real learning in the 'stitch in time' situation this morning?

The mental load of frequently remembering I needed to mend the hem was more onerous, energy and time consuming than just doing it.

And a proverb for that?

"You can’t plow a field by turning it over in your mind."

? Andrea Stone, Stone Leadership

Andrea Stone is an Executive Coach and Educator, supporting global leaders and their teams create greater success, based on a foundation of emotionally intelligent leadership.