More often than not, you can’t clean up a mess as easily as you make it, and some of the messes we make in life can’t ever be fully cleaned up.

It’s difficult to make up for things later. It’s easy to tell ourselves we’ll do it, and even imagine how we’ll do it., but the challenge is often greater than we expect. And sometimes we simply put it off, and the debt grows even larger.

Do it right the first time, unless it’s a situation that allows you to “fail fast” with little consequence. Don’t count on do-overs unless you know they’re available cheaply — including the opportunity costs.

Sometimes you only get one shot. The ultimate one-shot is life itself. You won’t be reincarnated, and even if you are, you won’t know it. You get one life — one chance to do good things. Do it right, because this is the only time.