🗓️ Idiom: Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff (expression)
💬 Meaning
- Do not waste energy worrying about minor problems.
- Focus on the bigger picture and what really matters.
🧠 Example Sentences
- The CEO told the team not to sweat the small stuff during the product launch — the priority was delivering on time.
- When managing a big project, successful leaders don’t sweat the small stuff and instead keep attention on the main goals.
- After the presentation, my colleague said, “Don’t sweat the small stuff — the client only cared about our main proposal.”
🏛️ Origin
The phrase became popular in the late 20th century, especially after Richard Carlson’s 1997 book Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff… and It’s All Small Stuff. The idea, however, existed earlier in American English, using “sweat” to mean “worry.” It encourages people to stay calm and avoid unnecessary stress about little details.
📝 Practice Exercises
1. Fill in the blank:
“When leading a big team, it’s important not to __________ the small stuff.”
Answer
sweat
2. Multiple choice:
What does “don’t sweat the small stuff” mean?
a) Always check every tiny detail.
b) Ignore important business problems.
c) Don’t waste energy worrying about minor issues.
Answer
c) Don’t waste energy worrying about minor issues.
3. Change the sentence using “don’t sweat the small stuff”:
“Try not to stress too much about small mistakes in the report.”
Answer
“Don’t sweat the small stuff in the report.”
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