--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: First we need to decide what needs to be…" description: "\"First we need to decide what needs to be done. Then we do it. And then we ask if it is possible.\" — Paul Hawken" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/paul-hawken-3831_asks_first-we-need-to-decide-what-needs-to-be_2039131.png" --- # First we need to decide what needs to be done. Then we do… ![“First we need to decide what needs to be done. Then we do it. And then we ask if it is possible.” quote by Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/paul-hawken-3831_asks_first-we-need-to-decide-what-needs-to-be_2039131.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/paul-hawken-3831_asks_first-we-need-to-decide-what-needs-to-be_2039131.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9a/paul-hawken-3831_asks_first-we-need-to-decide-what-needs-to-be_2039131.png) > “First we need to decide what needs to be done. Then we do it. And then we ask if it is possible.” [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Identify the task, act, then evaluate feasibility. **In simple terms:** Plan, act, then check if possible. Key Takeaway Act first, then verify. Themes decisionmaking process execution Mood pragmatic focused Type advice instructional When to use this quote - business planning - personal goals - team projects Key Concepts project management feasibility analysis Questions to Reflect On - What task can you start now? - How do you test feasibility? A Different Perspective May overlook constraints before acting. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ask Possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-possible-1136061/) [Asks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asks/) [Decide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decide/) [Decide Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decide-needs-3785843/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Need Decide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-decide-1309894/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Needs Ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs-ask-828097/) ## Related quotes > [You need to decide what problems, what opportunities, what projects you're going to work on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-l-turner/you-need-to-decide-what-problems-what-opportunities-what-projects-you/) [Fred L. Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-l-turner/) > [Possibilities are completely different. When you ask 'what is possible?' you must stretch your imagination out of the confines of the familiar. To live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-lore/possibilities-are-completely-different-when-you-ask-what-is-possible/) [Nicholas Lore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-lore/) > [“Do not ask, "Is is possible?" rather, "Is is worth what it will require of me to make it happen?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-sorenson/do-not-ask-is-is-possible-rather-is-is-worth-what-it-will-require-of/) [Toni Sorenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-sorenson/) > [Faith does not ask for possible things; it demands impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-b-joshua/faith-does-not-ask-for-possible-things-it-demands-impossible/) [T. B. Joshua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-b-joshua/) > [Have a dream. Fight to do a dream. Don't ask if it is possible to do something or if not possible. Try to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/have-a-dream-fight-to-do-a-dream-don-t-ask-if-it-is-possible-to-do/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [I want to ask him if it’s possible that a girl can be born unlovable, or does she just become that way?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/i-want-to-ask-him-if-it-s-possible-that-a-girl-can-be-born-unlovable/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [Ask what's possible, not what's wrong. Keep asking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-j-wheatley/ask-what-s-possible-not-what-s-wrong-keep-asking/) [Margaret J. Wheatley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-j-wheatley/) > [“The great civil rights leader Howard Thurman once said, “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive. Because what the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-kotler/the-great-civil-rights-leader-howard-thurman-once-said-don-t-ask-what/) [Steven Kotler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-kotler/) > [“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cara-alwill-leyba/don-t-ask-what-the-world-needs-ask-what-makes-you-come-alive-and-go-2/) [Cara Alwill Leyba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cara-alwill-leyba/) > [Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself, 'What makes me come alive?' Because what the world - a wife, a child -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/don-t-ask-yourself-what-the-world-needs-ask-yourself-what-makes-me/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [8. Dont ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-thurman/8-dont-ask-what-the-world-needs-ask-what-makes-you-come-alive-and-go/) [Howard Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-thurman/) > [Dont ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-thurman/dont-ask-yourself-what-the-world-needs-ask-yourself-what-makes-you/) [Howard Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-thurman/) > [“You must learn that it is not important for you to ask questions. Nobody needs for you to ask questions. Your job is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-cicero/you-must-learn-that-it-is-not-important-for-you-to-ask-questions/) [Noah Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-cicero/) > [Don't ask yourself what the world needs, ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go do that. Because what the world needs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-ask-yourself-what-the-world-needs-ask-yourself-what-makes-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is more people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-thurman/don-t-ask-what-the-world-needs-ask-what-makes-you-come-alive-and-go/) [Howard Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-thurman/) ## More by Paul Hawken > [Information from destructive activities going back a hundred years right up until today is being incorporated into the system. And as that happens the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/information-from-destructive-activities-going-back-a-hundred-years/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [When the planes still swoop down and aerial spray a field in order to kill a predator insect with pesticides, we are in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/when-the-planes-still-swoop-down-and-aerial-spray-a-field-in-order-to/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [The great thing about the dilemma we're in is that we get to re-imagine every single thing we do...There isn't a single thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/the-great-thing-about-the-dilemma-we-re-in-is-that-we-get-to-re/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [Luck is earned. Luck is working so hard at your craft, service or enterprise that sooner or later you get a break.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/luck-is-earned-luck-is-working-so-hard-at-your-craft-service-or/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [Healing the wounds of the earth and its people does not require saintliness or a political party, only gumption and persistence. 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If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/if-you-look-at-the-science-that-describes-what-is-happening-on-earth/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [All is connected ... no one thing can change by itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/all-is-connected-no-one-thing-can-change-by-itself/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [We can no longer prosper by increasing human productivity. The more we try to do, the more poverty we will create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/we-can-no-longer-prosper-by-increasing-human-productivity-the-more-we/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [Throughout the industrial era, economists considered manufactured capital - money, factories, etc. - the principal factor in industrial production, and perceived natural capital as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/throughout-the-industrial-era-economists-considered-manufactured/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [his planet came with a set of instructions, but we seem to have misplaced them. Important rules like don’t poison the water, soil, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/his-planet-came-with-a-set-of-instructions-but-we-seem-to-have/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [Sustainability, ensuring the future of life on Earth, is an infinite game, the endless expression of generosity on behalf of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/sustainability-ensuring-the-future-of-life-on-earth-is-an-infinite/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) [Explore all 121 Paul Hawken quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) ## More Asks quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/) [Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [There is nothing more I ask of this life than this moment, exactly so. And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. I shake my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-know-how-to-say-it-exactly-only-i-want-to-die-as-myself-does/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) [Browse all 7,138 Asks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asks/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "First we need to decide what needs to be done. Then we do it. 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