it only goes so far.

[keannu]

"it only goes so far." is interpreted as "it goes only to that extent". Is it correct?

330-88
ex)There is a saying, "Don't sweat the small stuff." Don't worry about the small things, the minor details that bother us in life. Stay focused on the big picture. This is not a bad philosophy of life, as far as it goes - but it only goes so far. It's a huge mistake to assume that because something is small it isn't important. ..

 

[Barb_D]

The extent to which that applies is limited. It doesn't apply to everything.

 

[keannu]

I think "so" in "it only goes so far" meant "very", but to make such meaning you said, it should be "that", right?

 

[Barb_D]

No.

This idea goes only as far as some undefined distant point, but no further.