About this quote

Outcomes are never guaranteed, which makes it tempting to wait for certainty before moving. But hesitation has its own guaranteed result: nothing changes. Effort at least buys a real chance, even when you can't yet see where it will land.

When to use it

• Sending out job applications with no way of knowing which one finally leads to an interview.
• Planting slow-growing trees whose shade you may never sit under yourself.
• Raising an unpopular concern in a meeting, unsure whether a single colleague will back you up.