The Dichotomy of Decision-Making

Act too soon and your decision may be uninformed. Act too late and your choices may dwindle.

“A decision will be made before it’s too late or soon thereafter.” — Michael Eisner

Uncertainty always exists when making decisions.

Facts are never aligned, nor are the consequences ever fully understood. When it comes to making decisions, you simply do the best you can with the information at hand.

The dichotomy of decision-making rests upon the sharp edge of acting too soon vs. acting to late.

Make a decision too soon, and you miss an opportunity to educate yourself and make the best decision possible. Hastiness leads to rash decision-making. '“Quick decisions are unsafe decisions.” [Sophocles]

Wait too long and options quickly disappear. You get boxed in. Worst case, the decision gets made for you to someone else’s advantage. “Indecision and delays are the parents of failure.” [George Canning]

“Decision is a sharp knife that cuts clean and straight; indecision, a dull one that hacks and tears and leaves ragged edges behind it.” [Gordon Graham]

But how do you know WHEN to make a decision? When is too soon? When is too late?

It all boils down to risk, and risk is equated to the choices you must weigh. If the choices are in danger of evaporating, then the risk is high. You must act without delay. If the choices are firmly set for the time being, then deliberate ahead of the decision.

Base the timing of your decisions on risk, and you will always be as prepared as you can be. What comes next are acts of courage and acceptance.