“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is a proverbial saying and piece of advice used to imply that one should not try to change something that is working well. The problem with this saying is that it is often used as an excuse for not changing or to justify inaction.
Think about it: what if a thing or situation that is “not broke” is actually not as good as it could be? Better yet, what if there was a way to improve a not broken item without breaking it in the process?
In both cases, shouldn’t the item be changed or improved upon?
In this blog post, I’ll explain three reasons why “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is bad advice, and I’ll give you some tips on how to fix things that are “not broke” but could be better.
Reason #1: Complacency is the enemy of progress.
Complacency, or satisfaction with the status quo, is like a rocking chair… You make the same repetitive motion over and over, but you are not going anywhere.
What a waste of time and potential energy!
The thing is, we all have the potential to use our energy, talents, and skills to change our circumstances and make progress in our lives, but having an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mindset can easily prevent any sort of advancement.
Applying this to life, you must be willing to get out of your comfort zone, a.k.a. the rocking chair, and strive for improvement. Otherwise, you just might get stuck in the same place, making the same motions not going anywhere.
To put this into perspective, I want you to imagine a world where innovators did not use their skills and talents to improve upon inventions from the past because they were complacent with the original invention…
You’d be watching a CRT (cathode ray tube) television, a.k.a. a box television, with rabbit ear antennas on top. And forget your fancy cellphone! You’d have to make calls using a hard crank wall phone or a cradle phone if you’re lucky. Need to take a dump? Well, just shimmy to the hole in your backyard, get down to business and don’t forget to use some leaves to wipe when you’re done because after all, “if it ain’t broke, why fix it?”
I’m sure you get my point!
If we are not constantly striving to improve on things that already exist, no matter how convenient they are, we will not get to reap the benefits of innovation.
This same logic applies to your life as well. You can’t afford to be complacent even if things seem good because there is always room for growth. You just have to be willing to get out of your comfort zone, discover what is needed to change or improve, and then continuously strive for improvement.
Reason #2: There’s always room for improvement.
Did you notice how smooth that segue was?
Anyway, no matter how good something is, there’s always room to make it better, faster, cheaper, more efficient, or more appealing. Let me give a personal example of how I applied this to my own life…
Schooled by a Teacher is the current iteration of my ePortfolio and blog, but it is a far cry from what I had when I first started posting my work online for others to view.
The ePortfolio I put together in the past was merely a Google Drive folder that categorized only my work artifacts into a subset of more folders and subfolders. While there was a rhyme and reason to these folders and subfolders, it was a selective dumping ground instead of a place that told a story about who I am as a person and an educator and what I have to offer to the world at large.
So, I started revamping my ePortfolio in Google Sites. I had gotten a good amount set up on the Google Sites platform, but after doing further research, and attending my first class in grad school, I decided to take a completely different route once again! This is because I discovered Google Sites lacks multiple features that other site builders have readily available.
And so goes a small part of the tale of how Schooled by a Teacher came to be!
Could the third time be the charm? I really can’t say, but I do know that although the previous iterations of my ePortfolio weren’t broken per se, there was room for improvement. So rather than folding my hands at the first or second attempt, I saw an opportunity to make something even greater and more appealing than what I had previously.
More importantly, I am improving as a creator since I am now learning the skills of web design, user experience, blogging, branding, and more!
I’d confidently say the experience alone gained from tinkering with things that aren’t broken is worth ditching this limiting belief.
Reason #3: The world is constantly changing… and you do not want to be left behind.
The saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” assumes that the world is static. But as you know, the world is constantly changing. New technologies are emerging, new markets are opening up, and new consumer demands are being created on a daily basis it seems. If we don’t keep up with these changes, we will become obsolete, and that is a terrible state to be in.
As with my earlier example of revamping my ePortfolio, change can be a catalyst for growth and innovation. By embracing change, you can open yourself up to new possibilities that keep you relevant in our rapidly changing world, which is a great place to be!
Now of course, there are times when it is not advisable to make changes. For example, if a change is likely to cause more problems than it solves, then it is probably best to leave things as they are. However, in general, the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality can be a recipe for stagnation, mediocrity and irrelevancy.
So, there you have it! Three reasons why “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is simply bad advice. If you want to stay ahead of the curve and keep your business or your life moving forward, you need to be willing to make changes. And you need to be willing to look for ways to improve things that are “not broke” but could be better.
So don’t be afraid to break things. Just make sure you fix them better than they were before!
