My source first heard this as a young girl in Korea. The saying goes “Don’t pour water into a pot that has hole in the bottom”. She first heard this from her mother who was trying to tell her that there were other ways to do things as well.

This proverb seems to be saying to not keep up a futile effort in something that is known to be a failed cause. It is a very practical proverb that I think can be relevant to nearly everybody regardless of nationality. In many countries, a proverb like this is likely to exist, encouraging thinking outside the box and looking for new solutions.