Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Picking Battles


I once witnessed an incident in which a person was determined to fight a battle that could not be won and need not be fought. My advice against the action was not popular but it was needed. If I'd been indifferent to the person's interests, I could easily have stood back and watched the ensuing disaster.

The person's judgment, normally quite good, was blurred by a desire to be right and to squelch any hint that a mistake may have been made. It reminded me of the core rule: It is more important to do right than to be right. Simple stuff. If a mistake was made, correct it, regardless of whether or not the critic has flaws. [I've met few critics who are saints.]

There are days when our greatest achievement is avoiding acts of self-sabotage.

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