More is lost by indecision than by wrong decision.
The first time I heard this quote was in the season four, episode thirteen of the Sopranos. The name of that episode was Whitecaps. And it is by far one of the top five episodes in the series. And this has nothing to do with this post. But the Sopranos was/is the best TV Series ever.
Carmela says the quote to Tony when they were discussing and deciding on whether to pursue the purchase of a house on the waters of the Jersey Shore as a second home for the family.
I think when I heard the quote all those years ago it didn’t land with me the way it would today. I am sure that has to do with the fact that I am roughly twenty years older now. Which is crazy to think that it was that long ago.
With the gift of age and hopefully continued wisdom, I see and hear this quote differently today than I did then and I hope that is the case twenty years from now as well.
So what does it mean?
This quote suggests that when faced with a choice or decision, the failure to take action or make a decision can be more detrimental than making a wrong decision. Indecision can lead to missed opportunities, wasted time, and a lack of progress. It emphasizes the importance of making decisions, even if they turn out to be imperfect or flawed.
This morning I was writing my top eight goals that I am working on in my life right now. When I say top eight goals. A couple of them are really bigger picture type goals focused on getting me where I want to go in life, while a few of them are daily reminders for me on who and what I want to be.
One of the bigger goals that I have been pursuing for several years now and I have made significant progress towards was really on my mind today as it pertains to this quote.
I was thinking about all of the decisions where I didn’t make a decision, or in many cases chose not to go all in even though it made sense to do so. And how I would be much closer to this bigger goal I have for myself if I would have done so.
It goes back to what the quote says. More is lost by indecision.
I would never advocate for impulsive or reckless decision-making, this is not who I am. But I would be a whole lot closer to my goal if I reminded myself that I have done the work. I know what I am doing. I just need to pull the trigger more frequently versus overthinking things.
It emphasizes the importance of thoughtful and informed decision-making processes. It encourages individuals to weigh the pros and cons, gather information, seek advice if necessary, and then make a choice. It acknowledges that there is inherent risk in decision-making but emphasizes that taking action is better than remaining stagnant.
I am obviously not stagnant in pursuing this goal. In many cases I am at least thirty percent there and in some measurements I am closer to fifty percent of the way there.
And I know that when it comes to goal setting, especially big goals. If you don’t set any, which is what most people do, you will never accomplish as much as you could otherwise. The fact that I set the goal to begin with puts me in an elite class. If I wouldn’t have set the goal at all and written it down over and over thousands of times, I wouldn’t made as much progress as I have made.
However, we don’t set goals to achieve half of them. We set goals to achieve all of them and then some. And I know if I double down and make more and quicker decisions I could get to the bigger goal much quicker than I have been tracking towards it.
Does this sound like you? Or do you wish it did? Which ever way you answered it doesn’t matter. You, like me, have the ability to make the necessary changes. You can stop being indecisive and make the changes you need to, to get everything you want out of life and more.
This quote “More is lost by indecision than by wrong decision” reminds us about the potential costs of indecisiveness.
It reminds us that the failure to make a decision can lead to missed opportunities, wasted time, and a lack of progress.
It encourages individuals to embrace the learning potential of mistakes and to take action, even if the decision turns out to be flawed. By doing so, we can learn, adapt, and move forward, rather than being paralyzed by indecision.
I know todays post was a little different than many of the posts I make. However, you can’t achieve what you want financially unless you become better at overcoming your fears and taking action.
To your success and your future.
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