A metric bolt and an imperial nut won’t work together.

It doesn’t matter if they’re each perfectly milled and they’re made from the finest materials. The two things won’t pair.

With enough slop, you might be able to thread the pieces together, but even so, they won’t tighten as they should.

Indeed, there are instances where two things simply aren’t compatible. Whether they’re physical tools or mental ideologies, sometimes a mismatch is just that: a mismatch.

Does this mean game-over? Of course not. When we discover what doesn’t work, it can help point us in the direction of what does work. When we learn where we don’t operate at our best, it can give us clues to find where we’re a better match.

And with the hardware above? A metric bolt and nut could serve as one anchor point while an imperial pair takes another.

Sometimes, it’s a matter of finding the right ways to work together while understanding the incompatibilities.