Do what you can with what you have –Theodore Roosevelt

Do what you can with what you have: This quote reminds us that although we have problems or challenges, we can still do something. Ultimately it is our actions that can give us results. There will be time to rest, repent and feel bad. But none of these will help us achieve our goals. We must keep pushing forward and do the small things that will help us achieve our goals in life. Doing what you can with what you have where you are means that we must move forward. Ultimately, the main agenda is to get into action, not complain about where we are and move forward.

Do what you can with what you have meaning

This quote is a beauty by Theodore Roosevelt – talking about stepping into action and keeping your doubts away. We can plan, hypothesise and complain all we want. But that will not change things. The only thing that will do that is our actions. Our actions speak louder than words, they move boulders and create paths for us that never existed.

If we wait for the perfect moment, it will never happen. This will only cost us our time and motivation and finally, we give up. So, don’t waste your time in chasing this perfect situation that will never reach you. Instead, start somewhere, and create a path as you go along. Life has a funny way of working out and throwing opportunities at us when we don’t expect them.

Do what you can with what you have tells us that we have opportunities and limitations. They will haunt us all through the journey. If we focus only on the limitations, we won’t be able to move ahead. Instead, find out the path that allows you to win and start working on it. Each day, we make small progress -this adds up in the long run. As time passes, our probability of victory increases because we’ve put work into our aspirations. So, this is probably the best advice we can get – do what you can. Don’t get lost in the ‘could have’ or ‘would have’ conversations. Your best results are in your actions and creating the life that you deserve or desire.

Meaning of the quote – do what you can

There are 5 prominent themes in this quote of Roosevelt. Do what you can refers to the action, but beyond that it also talks about responsibility, taking control of our life and moving forward continuously. It also talks about learning from our opportunities and challenges, failing and moving forward with persistence. These meanings can be captured in the image below under the theme of the meaning of do what you can.

Don’t worry or care about the perfect solution. It won’t come to you. Instead, focus on moving forward one step at a time, and make a small difference. That itself is a big step in creating momentum. No goal is too big or too small – all you want is momentum to keep moving you forward. Others may be able to do more, but what you can do is based on your capabilities and opportunities. So, start there, and do what you can. As you move through the process, you can figure out what else is needed to succeed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_D._Roosevelt