The Worst Decision Is No Decision

An imperfect commitment beats not committing at all.

As long as we never commit to anyone or anything, then nobody can criticize us for committing to something imperfect. It’s a comforting thought — but horribly isolating in practice.  

Jordan Peterson writes in Beyond Order:

“It is far better to become something than to remain anything but become nothing. This is despite all the genuine limitations and disappointments that becoming something entails. Everywhere, the cynic despairs, are bad decisions. But someone who has transcended that cynicism (or more accurately, replaced it with an even more profound doubt—that is, the doubt that doubt itself is an ultimately reliable guide) objects: the worst decision of all is none.”

We can point to flaws in any option that we are considering. No path is perfect. There will be twists and turns. But actually committing ourselves to a path sure beats staying stagnant. 

The worst decision is no decision.