Cliché: you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet

(entered for 04.17.06)

(Also, you can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs.)

Meaning: reaching a goal may require some sacrifice or unpleasantness. Use examples.
Rewrite 1: you have to mess up a pan to fry an omelet
Rewrite 2: you may get an eggshell in the pan to turn an egg into an omelet
Rewrite 3: you have to slip on the ice a few times to learn to skate
Rewrite 4: you may have to sunburn a few times to get a good tan

Comment: There are many unpleasant results from seemingly innocuous causes.

More reading about clichés
What I found when I googled “clichés”:
• RPG Cliché List: “…the grand list of cliches and absurdities that occur (and occur, and occur...) in traditional RPGs and LARPs…”

Note: By providing links to other websites I am only showing you what is out there about clichés – I am not endorsing any content or opinion expressed there.

Check out the searchable alphabetical list of all my cliché rewrites available in the archive list at the right.