About this quote

People rush to assign blame and hand down punishments when things go wrong. This line pushes back and reminds you that you don't have the whole picture. Before you act, pause and ask what you don't know and whether you have any right to decide someone else's fate. If you can repair harm, do it; if you cannot, don't be quick to destroy what you can't restore.

When to use it

• At work, when I'm about to fire someone for one big mistake, I stop and ask whether coaching or a change in role would fix the problem instead.
• When my younger sister made a bad choice and I wanted to cut her out of the family, I reminded myself I didn't know every reason behind it and sat down to listen first.
• As a coach tempted to bench a player after one terrible game, I ask whether punishment helps them improve or just breaks their confidence.
• Serving on a community tribunal, I used this thought to slow down and consider mitigating circumstances before voting for a harsh penalty.