A Chip On Your Shoulder

Being upset for something that happened in the past. 

A Bird In The Hand Is Worth Two In The Bush:

Having something that is certain is much better than taking a risk for more, because chances are you might lose everything.

up to scratch | up to snuff Informal

Meaning: You can say something is up to scratch, or up to snuff, if it's as good as it should be, or as good as it needs to be.

For example:

• This article isn't very interesting, to be honest. Are you sure it's up to scratch for an international news magazine?
  
• The band's manager doesn't think this hall is up to snuff. There's too much echo and the stage is too small.
  

Note: "Up to scratch" is used more in British and Australian English, while "up to snuff" is used more in American English.

Dig up dirt

Meaning: If you dig up dirt on someone, you try to find details from their past to make them look bad in the present.

For example:

• Many politicians pay people to dig up dirt on their opponents, and then pass the information to the media.
  
• Very few of our leaders come from disadvantaged backgrounds because it's so easy to dig up dirt on them or their family members.
  

Note: We can also say "dig up the dirt", "dig the dirt up" and "dig the dirt", all of which have the same meaning.