Do your best, just not too well

Be clean. But don't be too clean.
Do well, just don't do too well.
Think. But don't over think.
Life isn't simple. Work with that.

In fact being too clean at times actually works against us.

Same with doing too well in nearly anything. Calculating your efforts tends to work much better with aforethought and due consideration.

It is a downfall of extremists and conservative thought, of being motivated only by ideological thought. To just go for it, without much thinking. And that tends to be their downfall. It is the same with the concept of "zero tolerance" on most things or of purity overall. For some reason nature needs some degree, some functional degree of contamination. It is defective. It sounds nice, makes for a good sound bite, but in reality it generally turns up defective systems, products, even people.

Think! It's your better self. Don't be lazy, mentally. Because in that is so much of our problems in this country and in the world. As example, let's take a look at a physical issue. Cleanliness.

From....

There are some who are a little paranoid about bathroom practices. Yes, washing your hands helps. Washing your hands whenever you return home helps. Washing too much doesn't. Using antibacterial soap everywhere can work against us. Perhaps just in the bathroom may be a good idea.

However if we really had to worry as much as some people do, then we'd have been dead thousands of years ago.

Consider your belt on your pants or dress, or buttons or zipper and how contaminated they can be or become without proper consideration.

Anderson Cooper

Anderson Cooper on his show once had his cell phone tested. Tests came back that it had fecal contamination all over it. And he's a pretty clean, well brought up guy. Needless to say he was stunned. No matter what you do, how careful you are, it's going to happen.

In another study they found fecal contamination on furniture and in many places around the house that you'd not expect it. Some households are worse (or better than others) but if you are extremely paranoid and you're house simply couldn't be like that, well, you'll actually still come up with some contamination.

Chandler and Joey of Friends

Consider the episode of "Friends" when Joey pointed out to Chandler when he showers how he uses their shared shower soap. Suddenly Chandler realizes and is horrified at what he must have been putting all over his face for all those years.

Now consider this.

Have you ever leaned or sat back while sitting on a toilet, brushing against the underside of the toilet seat sitting up behind you? Did you know when you close the lid (which is better when you flush) exactly what happens to the mist that appears from the soiled flush water? 

Studies have shown that mist travels throughout the house if the bathroom door is open and no fan had been on. See, the fan isn't just for odors. Here's another. Apparently the hot air blower in public bathrooms, not only sanitarily drys your hands, it also recycles all the airborne germs in the public restroom all around that room and out the bathroom door when it opens.

The point is, fighting this is a losing battle. 

We do the best we can and still we fail. That doesn't mean we shouldn't still do our best. Or that failing will kill us. The trouble is in sometimes doing too well. Simply doing the absolute best that is possible can at times be counterproductive. We actually do need some bad bacteria in our life to help our immune system to be triggered in order to be strong to fight things off whenever it really is needed.

Life, as well as politics are very much like that. It is intrinsic in the conservative way of thinking. So be careful. But not too careful.

You cannot simply do the best you can. You have to do just the right amount of what is best. Trying too hard can actually kill you. Not trying at all can also kill you. Thinking critically, being reasonable, finding the Middle Way is usually the answer. 

Then at times regardless of all our best intentions, we can still die from our own actions.

So relax. Do your best. Just don't overdo your best...too much.