It is almost always impossible to evaluate at the time events which you have already experienced, and to understand their meaning with the guidance of their effects. All the more unpredictable and surprising to us will be the course of future events.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- We cannot fully understand events as they happen or predict the future because meaning often comes later through consequences.
- In plain terms
- It is hard to judge events while they happen or know what comes next.
- What can you take from it?
- Accept that understanding often comes only after events unfold.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How much do you trust your initial judgment?
- What events only make sense in hindsight?
Another view
Sometimes immediate analysis is necessary for safety or survival.
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