Decide Quote by Colin Powell
“Generally you should act somewhere between P40 and P70, as I call it. Sometime after you have obtained 40 percent of all the information you are liable to get, start thinking in terms of making a decision. When you have about 70 percent of all the information, you probably ought to decide, because you may lose an opportunity in losing time.”
About This Quote
Advocates making decisions after gathering sufficient information, suggesting a 40‑70% threshold to balance analysis and action.
In simple terms: Decide after you have 40‑70% of needed info, not too early or too late.
Key Takeaway
Use a partial‑information window for timely decisions.
Themes
decision‑making
information
timing
strategy
balance
Mood
analytical
pragmatic
Type
strategic
instructional
When to use this quote
- business planning
- emergency response
- personal choices
- project management
Key Concepts
risk management
cognitive bias
Questions to Reflect On
- What information is essential before you act?
- How do you handle uncertainty beyond numbers?
A Different Perspective
Over‑reliance on percentages may ignore qualitative factors.
![“The average college graduate's proficient literacy in English [the ability to read lengthy, complex texts and draw complicated inferences] has declined from 40 percent in 1992 to 31 percent ten years later.” quote by Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/abf/charles-colson-7127_ability_the-average-college-graduate-s-proficien_246756.jpg)
