Quotes About Decision-making

The frontal cortex doesn't even fully develop until age 25, which is wild!

I don't think at my age... you can start ruling people out in politics.

Leadership is the other side of the coin of loneliness, and he who is a leader must always act alone. And acting alone, accept everything alone.

The leader is always alone before bad fates.

When you're offered things, it makes it so much easier to be indecisive. And it's silly because you can pass on some really amazing things.

Men, being accustomed to act on reflection themselves, are a great deal too apt to believe that women act on reflection, too. Women do nothing of the sort. They act on impulse; and, in nine cases out of ten, they are heartily sorry for it afterward.

Herbert Spencer] was ready in those days to give everything a trial; he even thought of migrating to New Zealand, forgetting that a young country has no use for philosophers. It was characteristic of him that he made parallel lists of reasons for and against the move, giving each reason a numerical value. The sums being 110 points for remaining in England and 301 for going, he remained.

From whatever angle we approach our eternal political problem we monotonously reach the same conclusion: that the community should determine the ends to be pursued, but that only experts should select and apply the means; that choice should be democratically spread, but that office should be rigidly reserved for the equipped and winnowed best.

He thought everything out carefully before acting; and therefore remained a bachelor all his life long.

From whatever angle we approach our eternal political problem we monotonously reach the same conclusion: that the community should determine the ends to be pursued, but that only experts should select and apply the means; that choice should be democratically spread, but that office should be rigidly reserved for the equipped and winnowed best. (p.89/543)

From whatever angle we approach our eternal political problem we monotonously reach the same conclusion: that the community should determine the ends to be pursued, but that only experts should select and apply the means; that choice should be democratically spread, but that office should be rigidly reserved for the equipped and winnowed best. (Chapter on Aristotle p.89/543)

Sooner strangle an infant in its cradle than nurse unacted desires.

Take a look around," the instructor had advised. "Ask yourself if there's anyone else who is better qualified to do the job. Not in the entire galaxy, but right there, at that point in time. If the answer is 'yes,' ask them to accept command, and do everything you can to support them. If the answer is 'no,' which it will be ninety-nine percent of the time, then take your best shot. That's all any of us can do.

The goal was to defeat the enemy by limiting its ability to make good decisions.

Run your business like you own it. When you trust people to solve problems and make decisions, and then let them go, that's when the magic happens.

Mostly these conversations were had over the telephone, burdened by the conceptual difficulties of conflicting priorities, generals talking to engineers, political deputies to architects.

Opportunities to do very badly were manifold. You avoided them. The major part in any success.

Wintermute was hive mind, decision maker, effecting changes in the world outside. Neuromancer was personality. Neuromancer was immortality.

Ralph... would treat the day's decisions as though he were playing chess. The only trouble was that he would never be a very good chess player.

The trouble was, if you were a chief you had to think, you had to be wise.

Le assemblee. Andiamo pazzi per le assemblee, vero? Una al giorno. Anche due volte al giorno. Stiamo lì a parlare. Scommetto che se suonassi la conchiglia in quest'istante, eccome se verrebbero, e di corsa. E allora, sapete, ce ne staremmo lì tutti compiti, e qualcuno proporrebbe di costruire un jet, o un sottomarino, o una televisione. Ad assemblea finita, lavorerebbero per cinque minuti e poi se ne andrebbero a zonzo, o a caccia.»

The trouble was, if you were a chief you had to think, you had to be wise. And then the occasion slipped by so that you had to grab at a decision. This made you think; because thought was a valuable thing, that got results...

A great chessplayer is not a great man, for he leaves the world as he found it.

Sometimes when people are under stress, they hate to think, and it's the time when they most need to think.