When I was 7, I decided I’d take on the big job of fixing the squeaky cabinet in the kitchen. Armed with WD-40 and the unshakable confidence of a kid who’s only seen adults fix stuff, I got straight to work. Naturally, I didn’t bother emptying the cabinet first—why would I? So, I started spraying the hinge like I was some kind of professional. But instead of fixing the squeak, I accidentally got WD-40 all over the inside of the cabinet, right on the cereal boxes and cans.

Panicking, I tried to clean it up but managed to step in a bit of the oil that had dripped onto the floor. My foot slipped out from under me, and I landed on my butt, staring up at the cabinet that was now greasy, unorganized, and still squeaky. At that moment, I realized two things: 1, I had no idea what I was doing, and I probably never should’ve tried this in the first place. And 2, in hindsight I should've just let it squeak.