Reaction & Approach: English Vocabulary List

used to suggest that a person who is overly critical or fault-finding can find fault with anything, regardless of its merit or quality

"A complainer can always find fault — a carper can cavil at anything."

"No version of the report satisfied him — a carper can cavil at anything."

used to imply that those who lack emotional maturity or self-control may be quick to overreact to minor issues

"Small people get angry quickly — a little pot is soon hot."

"He reacted furiously to the smallest provocation — a little pot is soon hot."

used to suggest that it is best to deal with the challenges and difficulties of each day as they come, without adding unnecessary worry about what may or may not happen in the future

"Deal with today's problems today — sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

"She stopped worrying about next quarter and focused on the current crisis — sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

used to suggest that those who speak up or make their needs known are more likely to be noticed or helped than those who remain silent or passive

"The squeaky wheel gets the grease."

"In our office, the squeaky wheel always gets the grease, so I learned to speak up whenever I needed help."

used to suggest that a person's character and true nature are revealed through the way they live their life

"Your life reflects what is in your heart — as water reflects the face, so one's life reflects the heart."

"The generosity she showed in every decision revealed exactly who she was — as water reflects the face, so one's life reflects the heart."

used to imply that a person's attitude, mindset, and actions have a greater impact on their life than external circumstances

"How you react to things matters more than what happens — life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you react to it."

"Two people faced the same redundancy — one rebuilt, one collapsed — life is ten percent what happens and ninety percent how you respond."

used to imply that people respond differently to the same external circumstances based on their individual traits, and that external circumstances alone do not determine a person's outcome

"The same experience affects different people differently — the same fire that melts the butter hardens the egg."

"The pressure broke some team members and strengthened others — the same fire that melts the butter hardens the egg."

used to advise to focus on the present, deal with challenges as they arise, and not to worry too much about the future

"Accept each day as it comes — take each day as it comes."

"She stopped trying to predict the future and took each day as it came."

used to imply that it is important to use the appropriate tool or approach to accomplish a task, and not to use excessive force or resources

"Do not use a big solution for a small problem — take not a musket to kill a butterfly."

"Bringing in external lawyers for a minor contractual query was excessive — take not a musket to kill a butterfly."

used to suggest that there are multiple paths to success, and that it is important to be open-minded and flexible in one's approach to problem-solving or achieving goals

"Try a different approach — there is more than one way to skin a cat."

"The first method failed, but there is more than one way to skin a cat and the team quickly found an alternative."

used to refer to the act of making a lot of fuss or noise over something that is insignificant or unimportant

"There was great cry and little wool."

"The company announced a major new project, but it turned out to be much cry and little wool, with no real impact."

used to imply that there are multiple ways to approach a situation or solve a problem, and encourages individuals to be open-minded and flexible in finding a solution

"There is always more than one way to solve a problem — there are more ways to the wood than one."

"When the first approach failed, the team quickly found an alternative — there are more ways to the wood than one."