False conclusions which have been reasoned out are infinitely worse than blind impulse.
—Horace Mann (1796–1859) American Educator, Politician, Educationalist
It is the nature, and the advantage, of strong people that they can bring out the crucial questions and form a clear opinion about them. The weak always have to decide between alternatives that are not their own.
—Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906–45) German Lutheran Pastor, Theologian
Life is the sum of all your choices.
—Albert Camus (1913–60) Algerian-born French Philosopher, Dramatist, Essayist, Novelist, Author
God offers to every mind its choice between truth and repose. Take which you please—you can never have both.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
In addition to self-awareness, imagination and conscience, it is the fourth human endowment-independent will-that really makes effective self-management possible. It is the ability to make decisions and choices and to act in accordance with them. It is the ability to act rather than to be acted upon, to proactively carry out the program we have developed through the other three endowments. Empowerment comes from learning how to use this great endowment in the decisions we make every day.
—Stephen Covey (1932–2012) American Self-help Author
In many lines of work, it isn’t how much you do that counts, but how much you do well and how often you decide right.
—William Feather (1889–1981) American Publisher, Author
Deliberate with caution, but act with decision; and yield with graciousness, or oppose with firmness.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Form the habit of making decisions when your spirit is fresh … to let dark moods lead is like choosing cowards to command armies.
—Charles Cooley (1864–1929) American Sociologist
Life is just an endless chain of judgements…. The more imperfect our judgement, the less perfect our success.
—B. C. Forbes (1880–1954) Scottish-born American Journalist, Publisher
Between two stools one sits on the ground.
—French Proverb
It is the mark of a good action that it appears inevitable, in retrospect.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
Keep true, never be ashamed of doing right; decide on what you think is right and stick to it.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
Life is like a game of cards. The hand that is dealt you represents determinism; the way you play it is free will.
—Jawaharlal Nehru (1889–1964) Indian Head of State
Some persons are very decisive when it comes to avoiding decisions.
—Brendan Behan (1923–64) Irish Poet, Novelist, Playwright
In 40 hours I shall be in battle, with little information, and on the spur of the moment will have to make the most momentous decisions. But I believe that one’s spirit enlarges with responsibility and that, with God’s help, I shall make them, and make them right.
—George S. Patton (1885–1945) American Military Leader
When making a decision of minor importance, I have always found it advantageous to consider all the pros and cons. In vital matters, however, such as the choice of a mate or a profession, the decision should come from the unconscious, from somewhere within ourselves. In the important decisions of personal life, we should be governed, I think, by the deep inner needs of our nature.
—Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) Austrian Psychiatrist, Psychoanalytic
Once the “what” is decided, the “how” always follows. We must not make the “how” an excuse for not facing and accepting the “what”.
—Pearl S. Buck (1892–1973) American Novelist, Human Rights Activist
The world stands aside to let anyone pass who knows where he is going.
—David Starr Jordan (1851–1931) American Zoologist, Educator, Peace Activist
Our danger is not too few, but too many options … to be puzzled by innumerable alternatives.
—Richard Livingstone (1880–1960) British Scholar, Educator, Academic
The mania of thinking renders one unfit for every activity.
—Anatole France (1844–1924) French Novelist
Decide which is the line of conduct that presents the fewest drawbacks and then follow it out as being the best one, because one never finds anything perfectly pure and unmixed, or exempt from danger.
—Niccolo Machiavelli (1469–1527) Florentine Political Philosopher
Of two evils, choose the less.
—Unknown
It doesn’t matter which side of the fence you get off on sometimes. What matters most is getting off. You cannot make progress without making decisions.
—Jim Rohn (1930–2009) American Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker
Necessity is not an established fact, but rather an interpretation.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
Once you have made up your mind, stick to it; there is no longer any ‘if’ or ‘but’.
—Napoleon I (1769–1821) Emperor of France
The most important fact about Spaceship Earth: an instruction book didn’t come with it.
—Buckminster Fuller (1895–1983) American Inventor, Philosopher
The person who in shaky times also wavers only increases the evil, but the person of firm decision fashions the universe.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
The best we can do is size up the chances, calculate the risks involved, estimate our ability to deal with them, and then make our plans with confidence.
—Henry Ford (1863–1947) American Businessperson, Engineer
One’s mind has a way of making itself up in the background, and it suddenly becomes clear what one means to do.
—A. C. Benson (1862–1925) English Essayist, Poet, Author
How far would Moses have gone if he had taken a poll in Egypt? What would Jesus Christ have preached if he had taken a poll in the land of Israel? What would have happened to the Reformation if Martin Luther had taken a poll? It isn’t polls or public opinion of the moment that counts. It’s right and wrong and leadership.
—Harry S. Truman (1884–1972) American Head of State
Once to every man and nation comes the moment to decide; In the strife of Truth with Falsehood, for the good or evil side.
—James Russell Lowell (1819–91) American Poet, Critic
Necessity relieves us from the embarrassment of choice.
—Luc de Clapiers, marquis de Vauvenargues (1715–47) French Moralist, Essayist, Writer
Where bad’s the best, bad must be the choice.
—Unknown
That should be considered long which can be decided but once.
—Publilius Syrus (fl.85–43 BCE) Syrian-born Roman Latin Writer
The risk of a wrong decision is preferable to the terror of indecision.
—Moses Maimonides (1135–1204) Jewish Philosopher, Rabbinic Scholar
The last, if not the greatest, of the human freedoms: to choose their own attitude in any given circumstance.
—Bruno Bettelheim (1903–90) Austrian-born American Psychologist, Writer
Living is a constant process of deciding what we are going to do.
—Jose Ortega y. Gasset (1883–1955) Spanish Critic, Journalist, Philosopher
Everything is something you decide to do, and there is nothing you have to do.
—Denis Waitley (b.1933) American Motivational Speaker, Author
The history of free men is never really written by chance but by choice—their choice.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969) American Head of State, Military Leader
The difference is wide that sheets will not decide.
—English Proverb
Whenever I make a bum decision, I just go out and make another.
—Harry S. Truman (1884–1972) American Head of State
When, against one’s will, one is high pressured into making a hurried decision, the best answer is always No, because No is more easily changed to Yes, than Yes is changed to No.
—Charles Erwin Wilson (1886–1972) American Businessperson
Indecision is the seedling of fear.
—Napoleon Hill (1883–1970) American Author, Journalist, Attorney, Lecturer
All our final decisions are made in a state of mind that is not going to last.
—Marcel Proust (1871–1922) French Novelist
Decisions, particularly important ones, have always made me sleepy, perhaps because I know that I will have to make them by instinct, and thinking things out is only what other people tell me I should do.
—Lillian Hellman (1905–84) American Playwright, Dramatist, Memoirist
Indecision becomes decision with time.
—Unknown
Once I make up my mind, I’m full of indecision.
—Oscar Levant (1906–72) American Musician, Composer, Author, Comedian, Actor
A peacefulness follows any decision, even the wrong one.
—Rita Mae Brown (b.1944) American Writer, Feminist
The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim.
—Sun Tzu (fl. c.544–496 BCE) Chinese General, Military Theorist