--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only way never to do the wrong thing…" description: "\"The only way never to do the wrong thing is never to do anything.\" — Jim Butcher" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c65/jim-butcher-151_cowardice_the-only-way-never-to-do-the-wrong-thing_1579369.png" --- # The only way never to do the wrong thing is never to do… ![“The only way never to do the wrong thing is never to do anything.” quote by Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c65/jim-butcher-151_cowardice_the-only-way-never-to-do-the-wrong-thing_1579369.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c65/jim-butcher-151_cowardice_the-only-way-never-to-do-the-wrong-thing_1579369.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c65/jim-butcher-151_cowardice_the-only-way-never-to-do-the-wrong-thing_1579369.png) > “The only way never to do the wrong thing is never to do anything.” [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suggests inaction is the worst error; doing something, even imperfectly, is better. **In simple terms:** Inaction leads to worse outcomes. Key Takeaway Act, even if imperfect. Themes action responsibility mistakes Mood encouraging pragmatic optimistic Type literary self‑help When to use this quote - career moves - creative projects - personal challenges - emergency response Key Concepts decision theory ethical duty pragmatism Questions to Reflect On - What is the smallest step you can take now? - How do you measure success versus effort? A Different Perspective Fear of failure can paralyze progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cowardice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cowardice/) [Inaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inaction/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Wrong thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong-thing/) ## Related quotes > [But the only way never to do the wrong thing is never to do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/but-the-only-way-never-to-do-the-wrong-thing-is-never-to-do-anything/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [Ain't no right way to do the wrong thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-armey/ain-t-no-right-way-to-do-the-wrong-thing/) [Dick Armey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-armey/) > [“Doing the right thing the wrong way is still the wrong thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayce-o-neal/doing-the-right-thing-the-wrong-way-is-still-the-wrong-thing/) [Jayce O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayce-o-neal/) > [“There may be a wrong way to do the right thing, but never a right way to do a wrong thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/croft-m-pentz/there-may-be-a-wrong-way-to-do-the-right-thing-but-never-a-right-way/) [Croft M. Pentz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/croft-m-pentz/) > [There is no right way to do a wrong thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/there-is-no-right-way-to-do-a-wrong-thing/) [Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) > [I'm fine the way I am. There's nothing wrong with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-fine-the-way-i-am-there-s-nothing-wrong-with-me/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [“Of course, as someone once observed, there is no right way to do something wrong”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-w-abagnale/of-course-as-someone-once-observed-there-is-no-right-way-to-do/) Frank W. Abagnale > [You don't like me, but you love me; either way, you're wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-don-t-like-me-but-you-love-me-either-way-you-re-wrong/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Lookin' for the right way to do the wrong things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/lookin-for-the-right-way-to-do-the-wrong-things/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [Perhaps I won't do it right, but who is to say my way is wrong?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/perhaps-i-won-t-do-it-right-but-who-is-to-say-my-way-is-wrong/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [First they came for the Jews, but I did nothing because I'm not a Jew. Then they came for the socialists, but I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-niemoller/first-they-came-for-the-jews-but-i-did-nothing-because-i-m-not-a-jew/) [Martin Niemoller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-niemoller/) > [It is better to do the wrong thing that to do nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/it-is-better-to-do-the-wrong-thing-that-to-do-nothing/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [“I've had a lifetime of wrong. You're the only thing thats right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcguire/i-ve-had-a-lifetime-of-wrong-you-re-the-only-thing-thats-right/) [Jamie McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mcguire/) > [I've often unwittingly done the wrong thing; most things you mess up in life you do through nerves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-lipman/i-ve-often-unwittingly-done-the-wrong-thing-most-things-you-mess-up/) [Maureen Lipman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-lipman/) > [You did the wrong thing, to the right girl...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-did-the-wrong-thing-to-the-right-girl/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Jim Butcher > [“I stared at MacFinn for a long moment. I believed that he was telling me the truth. That he didn’t have much control, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/i-stared-at-macfinn-for-a-long-moment-i-believed-that-he-was-telling/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [“So you really could die. Your godmother is right, you know. You are mad as a hatter. Nutty as a fruitcake.” “Crazy like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/so-you-really-could-die-your-godmother-is-right-you-know-you-are-mad/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [“I knew I didn't have much of a chance of getting away from that swarm of fae piranha, but it was an infinitely larger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/i-knew-i-didn-t-have-much-of-a-chance-of-getting-away-from-that-swarm/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [“I told you," Molly said, never looking toward me. "It's in the past. Leave it there." "You listening to my head, kiddo?" Her mouth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/i-told-you-molly-said-never-looking-toward-me-it-s-in-the-past-leave/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [Punctuality is for people with nothing better to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/punctuality-is-for-people-with-nothing-better-to-do/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [“Look,” I said. “Me and the island are . . . kind of partners.” “Oh, right,” Thomas said. He looked at Karrin and said, “Harry’s a geosexual.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/look-i-said-me-and-the-island-are-kind-of-partners-oh-right-thomas/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [“I swear , this stupid town. Why does every hideous supernatural thing that happens happen here ? I'm gone for a few months and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/i-swear-this-stupid-town-why-does-every-hideous-supernatural-thing/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [Well. We’ll just have to hope that this wasn’t a loup-garou, I guess.” “If it was a louper, you’d know,” Bob said wisely. “In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/well-we-ll-just-have-to-hope-that-this-wasn-t-a-loup-garou-i-guess-if/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [“I'm going to use them to track him down and thwart him." "Thwart?" Sarissa asked. "Thwart." I said. "To prevent someone from accomplishing something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/i-m-going-to-use-them-to-track-him-down-and-thwart-him-thwart-sarissa/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [“But you can't go around changing your definition of right and wrong (or smart and stupid) just because doing the wrong thing happens to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/but-you-can-t-go-around-changing-your-definition-of-right-and-wrong/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [“Not everyone can be equally right, Harry.” “But believe you me, everyone can be equally wrong,” I said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/not-everyone-can-be-equally-right-harry-but-believe-you-me-everyone/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [You are a drug dealer. To tiny faeries. Shame." Sanya to Dresden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/you-are-a-drug-dealer-to-tiny-faeries-shame-sanya-to-dresden/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [“He fell into step beside me and we both got into the Blue Beetle — he got in the red door. I got in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/he-fell-into-step-beside-me-and-we-both-got-into-the-blue-beetle-he/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [Something like this will test you like nothing else," Mac said. "You're going to find out who you are, Harry. You're going to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/something-like-this-will-test-you-like-nothing-else-mac-said-you-re/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [“Mort looked at the cat and sighed. “Oh, sure. Professional ectomancer with a national reputation as a medium tells you what’s going on, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/mort-looked-at-the-cat-and-sighed-oh-sure-professional-ectomancer/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) [Explore all 1,110 Jim Butcher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) ## More Cowardice quotes > [“What is cowardice in the young is wisdom in the old, but all the same one can be ashamed of wisdom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/what-is-cowardice-in-the-young-is-wisdom-in-the-old-but-all-the-same/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [The unpreparedness of the educated classes, the lack of practical links between them and the mass of the people, their laziness, and, let it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frantz-fanon/the-unpreparedness-of-the-educated-classes-the-lack-of-practical/) [Frantz Fanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frantz-fanon/) > [ \[D\]on't grow old. With age comes caution, which is another name for cowardice… Whatever else you do in life, don't cultivate a conscience. Without… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hesketh-pearson/d-on-t-grow-old-with-age-comes-caution-which-is-another-name-for/) [Hesketh Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hesketh-pearson/) > [Heckling is an act of cowardice. If you want to speak, get up in front of the microphone and speak, don't sit in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-connolly/heckling-is-an-act-of-cowardice-if-you-want-to-speak-get-up-in-front/) [Billy Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-connolly/) > [“To stand at the very moment when all seems lost is the point of insanity for the coward, but it is the home of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/to-stand-at-the-very-moment-when-all-seems-lost-is-the-point-of/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [The biggest obstacles to our progress exist within our own lives in the form of cowardice and the tendency to give up. Breaking through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senora-roy/the-biggest-obstacles-to-our-progress-exist-within-our-own-lives-in/) [Senora Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senora-roy/) > [“I once knew a man who was heir to the throne of a great kingdom, he lived as a ranger and fought his destiny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/i-once-knew-a-man-who-was-heir-to-the-throne-of-a-great-kingdom-he/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [Is there cowardice with the acknowledgement of fear?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/is-there-cowardice-with-the-acknowledgement-of-fear/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Man alone mesures time. And because of this, man alone suffers a paralyzing fear that no other creature endures. A fear of time running…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/man-alone-mesures-time-and-because-of-this-man-alone-suffers-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [With how many things are we on the brink of becoming acquainted, if cowardice or carelessness did not restrain our inquiries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/with-how-many-things-are-we-on-the-brink-of-becoming-acquainted-if/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“They are not brave, the days when we are twenty-one. They are full of little cowardices, little fears without foundation, and one is so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-du-maurier/they-are-not-brave-the-days-when-we-are-twenty-one-they-are-full-of/) [Daphne du Maurier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-du-maurier/) > [Survival, with honor, that outmoded and all-important word, is as difficult as ever and as all-important to a writer. Those who do not last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/survival-with-honor-that-outmoded-and-all-important-word-is-as/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“People run away from the love game because they know they won't win the race.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/people-run-away-from-the-love-game-because-they-know-they-won-t-win/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [A man may be accused of cowardice for fleeing away from all manner of physical dangers but when things supernatural, insubstantial and inexplicable threaten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-hill/a-man-may-be-accused-of-cowardice-for-fleeing-away-from-all-manner-of/) [Susan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-hill/) > [“Preparation eradicates cowardice, which we define as the failure to act in the midst of fear…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/four-from-divergent/preparation-eradicates-cowardice-which-we-define-as-the-failure-to/) Four from Divergent [Browse all 900 Cowardice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cowardice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only way never to do the wrong thing is never to do anything.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jim Butcher" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/the-only-way-never-to-do-the-wrong-thing-is-never-to-do-anything/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cowardice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/the-only-way-never-to-do-the-wrong-thing-is-never-to-do-anything/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c65/jim-butcher-151_cowardice_the-only-way-never-to-do-the-wrong-thing_1579369.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c65/jim-butcher-151_cowardice_the-only-way-never-to-do-the-wrong-thing_1579369.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c65/jim-butcher-151_cowardice_the-only-way-never-to-do-the-wrong-thing_1579369.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only way never to do the wrong thing is never to do anything.” — Jim Butcher", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jim Butcher", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The only way never to do...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/the-only-way-never-to-do-the-wrong-thing-is-never-to-do-anything/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/the-only-way-never-to-do-the-wrong-thing-is-never-to-do-anything/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```