Root out one fault a year and you will soon be whole.

What it means

Trying to fix everything at once usually fixes nothing. One habit a year, truly uprooted, changes a life over time. Pick one fault and work on it until it is gone.

The source

"Root out one fault a year and you will soon be whole." Thomas à Kempis said it in The Imitation of Christ 1.11.5. Translated by William Benham, 1874.

"If each year should see one fault rooted out from us, we should go quickly on to perfection."

William Benham, 1874, The Imitation of Christ 1.11.5. Text read at gutenberg.org.

Who said it

Thomas à Kempis (c. 1380–1471). Augustinian canon in the Netherlands, generally credited with The Imitation of Christ, one of the most widely read Christian books ever written.

Questions

What does "Root out one fault a year and you will soon be whole." mean?

Trying to fix everything at once usually fixes nothing. One habit a year, truly uprooted, changes a life over time. Pick one fault and work on it until it is gone.

Who said "Root out one fault a year and you will soon be whole."?

Thomas à Kempis (c. 1380–1471). Source: The Imitation of Christ 1.11.5.

What is the original wording?

If each year should see one fault rooted out from us, we should go quickly on to perfection (William Benham, 1874). Translated by William Benham, 1874.

Is "Root out one fault a year and you will soon be whole." on a shirt?

Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.

"Root out one fault a year and you will soon be whole." (Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ 1.11.5, trans. William Benham, 1874). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/root-out-one-fault-a-year-and-you