A man is relieved and gay when he has put his heart into his work and done his best; but what he has said or done otherwise shall give him no peace.

There is a particular lightness that comes after you have given something your full effort, and it does not depend on the result. Whatever you did halfway, or said carelessly, is what comes back at night and asks to be replayed. The difference is not how well it turned out but whether you were actually in it.

When something keeps circling in your head, look at whether you gave it your whole attention at the time. If you did, you can let it rest. If you did not, the useful response is not guilt but the next piece of work done properly, which is available to you today.