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About this quote

What does it mean?
Life and war require deducing unknowns through actions and observations.
In plain terms
Find out what you do not know by trying things.
What can you take from it?
Learn by acting and observing results.

Where it applies

  • planning
  • exploration
  • decision making

Putting it to work

  • test hypotheses
  • act to learn

Questions to consider

  • What do you do to learn the unknown?
  • When have you guessed correctly?

Another view

Trial and error can lead to avoidable mistakes.

More from Arthur Wellesley

  1. Who? Who?

    Permalink to quote #14
  2. Mistaken for me, is he? That's strange, for no one ever mistakes me for Mr. Jones.

    Permalink to quote #16
  3. There is no mistake; there has been no mistake; and there shall be no mistake.

    Permalink to quote #13

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