In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Roosevelt asserts that taking wrong action is better than taking no action at all when decisions are required.
- In plain terms
- Decide to do something, even if you might be wrong, rather than doing nothing.
- What can you take from it?
- Prioritize action over inaction when facing difficult decisions.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When is inaction safer?
- How do you minimize wrong action?
Another view
Wrong action can sometimes cause more harm than delay.
More from Theodore Roosevelt
A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad.
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