Friday, October 30, 2009

Mistakes

Since our return from Argentina we've been enjoying la dolce far niente, the sweetness of doing nothing, as the Italians say. But we're busily planning some trips and it will soon be time for our boot heels to be wandering, if you know what I mean and I think that you do.

Until then, here's a quote I ran across that is so good I had to pass it along here:

…you cannot undo a mistake by continuing to make it. All you can do is stop making the mistake, cut your losses and move on.

The author is Bruce Bartlett, once Reagan's economic advisor. The topic really doesn't matter, since his insight applies to everything from wars and global crises to marriages and cooking, but if you want to see the original in context it's here.

2 comments:

  1. Although, the bigger the mistake, the harder it is to stop making it.....like one you've been doing for 35 years. In such a case, cutting losses seem more like limb amputations. Nevertheless, its original context makes imminent sense to me. But "never mind....my mistake" are difficult lines for Americans on the world stage.

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  2. All very true, Jeffee -- I think admitting a mistake, about anything, is one of the hardest things to do. Which is odd, because whenever I've had the courage to admit a mistake I invariably feel very relieved afterward.

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