To be full of good desires is indeed a holy thing, and God praises it. But don't leave it at that. You have to be a soul ‑‑a man, a woman ‑‑ who deals in realities. To carry out those good desires, you have to form clear and precise resolutions. And then, my child, you have to fight to put them into practice, with the grace of God. (The Forge, 116)

Take a good look at the way you behave. You will see that you are full of faults that harm you and perhaps also those around you. Remember, my child, that microbes may be no less a menace than wild beasts. Just as bacteria are cultivated in a laboratory, so you are cultivating those faults and those errors, with your lack of humility, with your lack of prayer, with your failure to fulfill your duty, with your lack of self‑knowledge. Those tiny germs then spread everywhere. You need to make a good examination of conscience every day. It will lead you to make definite resolutions to improve, because it will have made you really sorry for your shortcomings, omissions and sins. (The Forge, 481)