US and British colloquial expression meaning IfItIsWorkingDontChange.

If it ain't broke don't fix it is anathema to people who believe in improvement, who would rather say IfItAintBrokeImproveIt.

''If it ain't broke you ain't pushin' it hard enough.''

''If it isn't broke, find something that is, and fix it.''
* There are enough of the latter type to keep you busy, and you start with a problem, instead of creating one.

It really means that the operations it performs are accomplished without fail. (And that if you want to do more, you need to get something designed to do more. (Like don't try to make a mixing bowl into a bread machine, it works as a mixing bowl, and you depend on something else to bake the bread). It is not necessarily true that the bread machine is better than the combination of a bowl and an oven. Especially since it breaks easier ;)

According to a US Army man, they believe "if it ain't broke, fix it 'till it is."

''That's government in general. A rephrasing is: "If you think the problems we've created are bad, just wait until you see our solutions." More to the heart of the soldiering mentality I experienced, at least in the Infantry/Rangers/SF, is "''always be'' improving your position." You can tell if a combat unit is any good or not by how religiously they adhere to that principle as an organization and as individuals.'' --CraigEverett

(Related: GovernmentVersusPrivateSector)

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IatroGenesis CategoryIdiom