--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a general principle, people feel more…" description: "\"“As a general principle, people feel more responsible for their actions than they do for their inactions. If we are going to err at something, we would..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/joseph-t-hallinan-83991_quote_as-a-general-principle-people-feel-more_1651441.jpg" --- # As a general principle, people feel more responsible for… ![“As a general principle, people feel more responsible for their actions than they do for their inactions. If we are going to err at something, we would rather err by failing to act.” quote by Joseph T. Hallinan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/joseph-t-hallinan-83991_quote_as-a-general-principle-people-feel-more_1651441.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/joseph-t-hallinan-83991_quote_as-a-general-principle-people-feel-more_1651441.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/joseph-t-hallinan-83991_quote_as-a-general-principle-people-feel-more_1651441.jpg) > ““As a general principle, people feel more responsible for their actions than they do for their inactions. If we are going to err at something, we would rather err by failing to act.”” Joseph T. Hallinan ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People tend to judge their own actions as more accountable than their inactions, preferring to act even if it leads to error. **In simple terms:** People feel more responsible for what they do than what they don’t. Key Takeaway Act responsibly, even when uncertain. Themes responsibility decisionmaking action psychology Mood reflective critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - leadership decisions - personal ethics - public policy - team management Key Concepts moral agency cognitive bias risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - Do you prioritize action over caution? - How does this bias affect group decisions? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on action can cause reckless choices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“Do not be concerned with what others have or have not done. Observe your own actions and inactions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/do-not-be-concerned-with-what-others-have-or-have-not-done-observe/) [Thích Nhất Hạnh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“I'm not sure the word "sorry" does anything justice. It's such a loose word isn't it? 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Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [We must ever mandate the principle that the people of this continent alone have the right to decide their own destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-k-polk/we-must-ever-mandate-the-principle-that-the-people-of-this-continent/) [James K. Polk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-k-polk/) > [“In the Human society, we don’t have sticks. Here, an ideal leader is the person who develops the group and encourages them. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-peters/in-the-human-society-we-don-t-have-sticks-here-an-ideal-leader-is-the/) Steve Peters > [The Dilbert Principle: People are idiots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/the-dilbert-principle-people-are-idiots/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [I stand on principle where many people stand on money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-abdul/i-stand-on-principle-where-many-people-stand-on-money/) [Paula Abdul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-abdul/) > [It is because of my principle that people continue to give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdul-sattar-edhi/it-is-because-of-my-principle-that-people-continue-to-give/) [Abdul Sattar Edhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdul-sattar-edhi/) > [I go by the great republican principle, that the people will have the virtue and intelligence to select men of virtue and wisdom \[to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/i-go-by-the-great-republican-principle-that-the-people-will-have-the/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [Why is Facebook such a hit? It works on the principle that- 'People are more interested in others life than their own-!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-is-facebook-such-a-hit-it-works-on-the-principle-that-people-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Master Mind principle: Two or more people actively engaged in the pursuit of a definite purpose with a positive mental attitude, constitute an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-master-mind-principle-two-or-more-people-actively-engaged-in-the/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [There is a fundamental principle. People have the right to defend their country from foreign occupiers, and people have the right to defend their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-finkelstein/there-is-a-fundamental-principle-people-have-the-right-to-defend/) [Norman Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-finkelstein/) > [You're only responsible for your own actions. You can't control how someone else reacts to what you do. You made a choice. Stand by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kekla-magoon/you-re-only-responsible-for-your-own-actions-you-can-t-control-how/) [Kekla Magoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kekla-magoon/) > [Actions have consequences... first rule of life. And the second rule is this - you are the only one responsible for your own actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/actions-have-consequences-first-rule-of-life-and-the-second-rule-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Joseph T. Hallinan > [“Nearly eighty years of research on answer changing shows that most answer changes are from wrong to right, and that most people who change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-t-hallinan/nearly-eighty-years-of-research-on-answer-changing-shows-that-most/) Joseph T. Hallinan > [“Almost everyone is overconfident--except the people who are depressed, and they tend to be realists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-t-hallinan/almost-everyone-is-overconfident-except-the-people-who-are-depressed/) Joseph T. Hallinan Explore all 3 Joseph T. Hallinan quotes ## More Responsible Actions quotes > [Actions have consequences... first rule of life. And the second rule is this - you are the only one responsible for your own actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/actions-have-consequences-first-rule-of-life-and-the-second-rule-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You're only responsible for your own actions. You can't control how someone else reacts to what you do. You made a choice. Stand by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kekla-magoon/you-re-only-responsible-for-your-own-actions-you-can-t-control-how/) [Kekla Magoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kekla-magoon/) > [“I learned that in the end, only I was responsible for my actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/i-learned-that-in-the-end-only-i-was-responsible-for-my-actions/) [Juliet Marillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/) > [Each is responsible for his own actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-hunt/each-is-responsible-for-his-own-actions/) [H. L. Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-hunt/) > [Every person must stand up and be accountable, but be responsible for their actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/every-person-must-stand-up-and-be-accountable-but-be-responsible-for/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Many people hold me ultimately responsible toward the actions and reputation of the global football community. I cannot monitor everyone all of the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sepp-blatter/many-people-hold-me-ultimately-responsible-toward-the-actions-and/) [Sepp Blatter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sepp-blatter/) > [“every man is responsible for his own actions and the consequences or rewards they may bring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-dalzelle/every-man-is-responsible-for-his-own-actions-and-the-consequences-or/) [Joshua Dalzelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-dalzelle/) > [I'm 100 percent responsible for my actions in this case and I'm really disappointed in myself...I don't know what to say about it, except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mischa-barton/i-m-100-percent-responsible-for-my-actions-in-this-case-and-i-m/) [Mischa Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mischa-barton/) > [It is high time SoCalGas is held responsible for its actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-brockovich/it-is-high-time-socalgas-is-held-responsible-for-its-actions/) [Erin Brockovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-brockovich/) > [“You are only responsible for your own actions, and what you do today speaks to who you are now, not what your people did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilo-abernathy/you-are-only-responsible-for-your-own-actions-and-what-you-do-today/) [Lilo Abernathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilo-abernathy/) > [Everybody ought to be given a chance to do whatever they want, but be responsible for their own actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monty-roberts/everybody-ought-to-be-given-a-chance-to-do-whatever-they-want-but-be/) [Monty Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monty-roberts/) > [We are a compound of both here and hereafter; we shall be made responsible for the actions of both while here. Anything beyond this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-haydon/we-are-a-compound-of-both-here-and-hereafter-we-shall-be-made/) [Benjamin Haydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-haydon/) > [People are responsible for their actions, but not the fruits of their actions. Always do what you think is right, but don't worry if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-pike/people-are-responsible-for-their-actions-but-not-the-fruits-of-their/) [Christopher Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-pike/) > [I am responsible for my own actions and for nobody else's actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/i-am-responsible-for-my-own-actions-and-for-nobody-else-s-actions/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [I am not responsible for the actions of Saakashvili and even for those of Gamsakhurdia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduard-shevardnadze/i-am-not-responsible-for-the-actions-of-saakashvili-and-even-for/) [Eduard Shevardnadze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduard-shevardnadze/) Browse all 38 Responsible Actions quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“As a general principle, people feel more responsible for their actions than they do for their inactions. 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