Measure Twice, Cut Once

Builders have a saying: measure twice, cut once. Wood, fabric, and ingredients all share one rule - you can always cut more off, but you can never put it back. A careful measurement before the cut saves the whole project.

Good measuring starts with the right tool and a flat start. Line up the zero end of the ruler exactly with the edge, keep your eyes straight above the mark you are reading, and write the number down. Builders who trust their memory redo more work than builders who trust their pencil.

The saying is really about thinking before acting, and it works far beyond the workshop. Reading the whole problem before answering, planning a paragraph before writing it, checking the map before the turn - every one of those is measuring twice.