Quotes About Decision-making

Their blows are correlated. The cheng and the ch'i are compared to two interlocked rings: 'Who can tell where one begins and the other ends?' Their possible permutations are infinite; the cheng effort may be transformed into a ch'i, a ch'i into a cheng. Thus we may redefine a ch'i attack as one made where a decision is speedily attainable at least cost, in an area characterized by voids or fissures in the enemy's defences.

Rouse him, and learn the principle of his activity or inactivity.

Los buenos generales son de otra manera: se comprometen hasta la muerte, pero no se aferran a la esperanza de sobrevivir; actúan de acuerdo con los acontecimientos en forma racional y realista sin dejarse llevar por las emociones ni estar sujetos a quedar confundidos. Cuando ven una buena oportunidad, son como tigres, en caso contrario cierran sus puertas. Su acción y su no acción son cuestiones de estrategia y no pueden ser complacidos ni enfadados.

I heard that in war, rushing is madness, but I've never seen postponing that was wise.

1. Sun Tzu said: The art of war is of vital importance to the State. 2. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected. 3. The art of war, then, is governed by five constant factors, to be taken into account in one's deliberations, when seeking to determine the conditions obtaining in the field. 4. These are: (1) The Moral Law; (2) Heaven; (3) Earth; (4) The Commander; (5) Method and discipline.

Thus we may know that there are five essentials for victory: (1) He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight. (2) He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces. (3) He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks. (4) He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared. (5) He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign.

Si tus fuerzas son diez veces superiores a las del adversario, rodéalo; si son cinco veces superiores, atácalo; si son dos veces superiores, divídelo. Si tus fuerzas son iguales en número, lucha si te es posible. Si tus fuerzas son inferiores, mantente continuamente en guardia, pues el más pequeño fallo te acarrearía las peores consecuencias

Las armas son instrumentos de mal augurio y la guerra es un asunto peligroso. Es indispensable impedir una derrota desastrosa y, por lo tanto, no vale la pena movilizar un ejército por razones insignificantes: Las armas sólo deben utilizarse cuando no existe otro remedio.

I'm 16 years old. Let me get my learner's permit first. then I'll worry about lifetime commitments

If you're not sure if the dog has something or not, don't ask it if it has anything. You may talk the dog into an alert. Let the dog make up its own mind. Leave the area of greatest interest, search other areas or take a break, then bring the dog back in. Try to approach from another direction. Observe what your dog does without cueing from you; sometimes the dog will have no further interest in the area. – Marcia Koenig

We embrace the word no because it allows us to exercise some control over our lives, whereas yes is simply an acquiescence.

Even after we grow up, many of us continue to believe that we have little control over our lives. We may see others as the decision-makers in our lives and come to view life as something that happens to us. This belief system, reinforced by childhood identification with mothers who model extreme dependency and helplessness, set many women up for abusive marriages.

I'm not sure I'm the marrying kind. I don't even know if I want kids. I'm still at the keeping-a-plant alive stage of my life. Next, I'll consider getting a pet.

Be comfortable saying no, Pamela. At the same time, be comfortable saying yes. Every now and then life gives us an unexpected opportunity. How sad to walk away without sampling what is offered.

was easy to give someone else advice, but much harder to know what to do yourself.

Negotiating small differences is part of being a grownup; no one can tell you in advance where to put your foot down.

Given all the forces arrayed against it, no wonder Kant thought growing up to be more a matter of courage than knowledge: all the information in the world is no substitute for the guts to use your own judgement. And judgement can be learned — principally through the experience of watching others use it well —but it cannot be taught.

The rules for raising children had gone out with her parents generation of daughters who had lived as Lucy had, in patient silence, acting by standards which had lasted generations, waiting to grow up to make their decisions, following the patterns of their own lives.

I shared what I feel is the right way to go, the right course of action, and I suspect some of you may see it differently. If you do, I'd like to hear it. I know that my enthusiasm may make it hard to challenge me, but my job is to make the best possible decisions for the organization, not to persuade you of my viewpoint. So please speak up." This is an unusual and highly appealing way to begin a meeting. At

What I've found is that you make time for the things that matter to you. Everyone has the time. It's just a question of deciding what to do with that time.

great guy. Wait till you get to know him." I didn't wait, Sophie thought. I fell right into bed with him. "It would never work. I still don't want kids," Daphne said. "I never will. I'm the oldest of five, and I raised my younger brothers and

there are some things you don't have a choice about, but there's plenty you can choose. Like happiness. Like focusing on the positive.

We always plan too much and always think too little.

The good leaders seem to get killed; the poor leaders get the men killed.