I’ve spent a fair bit of time in the garage recently. Covered in sawdust, muttering to myself and doing that thing every DIY book tells you to do.

Measure twice. Cut once.

I am building a cupboard and shelving unit for my daughter and her fiancé. 

I built a smaller one a few weeks ago; it turned out brilliantly, so she’s talked me into a 5x bigger version. 

Sounds simple. Straightforward. A simple upgrade. What could go wrong?

What I’d forgotten was the very specific fear that comes with cutting expensive pieces of wood. 

Once the saw slices through, you are committed. There is no uncut option. 

So I measured. Twice. Sometimes thrice. Checked levels. Checked angles. Checked which side of the pencil mark should be cut!

And still I managed to get one vital piece completely wrong. Not a millimetre wrong. Not a sand it down and hope wrong. 

This one required a total rethink and a full adaptation of the plan.

So I adapted. I redrew the design, reworked some joints and kept going. 

The final result will still be great. It will still hold books, lamps, a massive TV and all the little things that end up in cupboards. And no one will ever know which piece caused the swearing.

Measure twice, cut once isn’t just joinery. It is a principle for life.

Relationships:

Take a moment before barking the reply or sending the sarcastic message. One more check can change the tone.

Health:

Review the habits that sneak in. A quick reset can save a long correction later.

Money:

Double-check renewals, contracts or subscriptions. One more glance can save £££. 

Work:

Pause before you jump into the next task. A measured moment to think about the outcome - before the action - creates better decisions and smoother days.

Measure twice is not about slowing down. It is about being intentional. It’s about giving your future self fewer problems to fix by setting yourself up to succeed.

Is there an area of your life where you need a measure twice moment?

It could be a decision, a conversation, a habit or a project.

Pause. Review. Then act with confidence.

Be Brilliant!