--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can't tell you how much time is spent…" description: "\"I can't tell you how much time is spent worrying about decisions that don't matter. To just be able to make a decision and see what happens is tremendo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/703/ward-cunningham-30213_able_i-can-t-tell-you-how-much-time-is-spent_2384384.png" --- # I can't tell you how much time is spent worrying about… ![“I can't tell you how much time is spent worrying about decisions that don't matter. To just be able to make a decision and see what happens is tremendously empowering, but that means you have to set up the situation such that when something does go wrong, you can fix it.” quote by Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/703/ward-cunningham-30213_able_i-can-t-tell-you-how-much-time-is-spent_2384384.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/703/ward-cunningham-30213_able_i-can-t-tell-you-how-much-time-is-spent_2384384.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/703/ward-cunningham-30213_able_i-can-t-tell-you-how-much-time-is-spent_2384384.png) > “I can't tell you how much time is spent worrying about decisions that don't matter. To just be able to make a decision and see what happens is tremendously empowering, but that means you have to set up the situation such that when something does go wrong, you can fix it.” [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Spending time on insignificant decisions wastes energy; making quick choices and learning from outcomes empowers action, provided failures are manageable. **In simple terms:** Don’t overthink; act and adjust. Key Takeaway Embrace fast decision‑making with contingency plans. Themes decision‑making empowerment learning Mood pragmatic encouraging Type reflective motivational When to use this quote - project planning - startup pivots - personal productivity - team leadership Key Concepts risk management agile methodology psychology of choice Questions to Reflect On - When is it worth investing more time in a decision? - How do you design safe failure conditions? A Different Perspective Rapid choices may ignore important data, leading to costly errors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Decision Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-happens-757199/) [Decision making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-making/) [Decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decisions/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Empowering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empowering/) [Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Make Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-decision/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/situation/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/) [Worrying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worrying/) [Worrying Decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worrying-decisions-4601837/) ## Related quotes > [I always roll with the way things are, so as soon as one decision happens, you just realign and move on and make another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-skrein/i-always-roll-with-the-way-things-are-so-as-soon-as-one-decision/) [Ed Skrein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-skrein/) > [The threads of circumstance that lead to tomorrow are so tenuous that all the fussing and worrying about decisions is futile compared to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-bantock/the-threads-of-circumstance-that-lead-to-tomorrow-are-so-tenuous-that/) [Nick Bantock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-bantock/) > [President Obama has a strong record of doing what is best for America and Florida, and he built it by spending more time worrying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-crist/president-obama-has-a-strong-record-of-doing-what-is-best-for-america/) [Charlie Crist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-crist/) > [At one point you think it's the best decision, but then after it happens its like the worst regret of your lifee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forever-kelsey/at-one-point-you-think-it-s-the-best-decision-but-then-after-it/) [Forever Kelsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forever-kelsey/) > [Make a firm decision: 'Whatever happens, I will be happy. I will be strong. God is always with me.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/make-a-firm-decision-whatever-happens-i-will-be-happy-i-will-be/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [Decision is the spark that ignites action. Until a decision is made, nothing happens… Decision is the courageous facing of issues, knowing that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/decision-is-the-spark-that-ignites-action-until-a-decision-is-made/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Decision is the spark that ignites action. Until a decision is made nothing happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilferd-peterson/decision-is-the-spark-that-ignites-action-until-a-decision-is-made-2/) [Wilferd Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilferd-peterson/) > [“I learned that once you make a decision, you need to see it through. If you don't, you'll lose faith in yourself, and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/i-learned-that-once-you-make-a-decision-you-need-to-see-it-through-if/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) > [Actually, I can't take credit for any of my decisions. I noticed one day that all my decisions were making themselves, and always at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/actually-i-can-t-take-credit-for-any-of-my-decisions-i-noticed-one/) [Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/) > [Golf is a lot like life. When you make a decision, stick with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-nelson/golf-is-a-lot-like-life-when-you-make-a-decision-stick-with-it/) [Byron Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-nelson/) > [Give up, give in, or give it all you've got. Make a decision. But don't just sit there overthinking everything and doing absolutely nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/give-up-give-in-or-give-it-all-you-ve-got-make-a-decision-but-don-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Satan wants you to believe that you don't have a choice in the matter. You can't be happy until things go the way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-rietzsch/satan-wants-you-to-believe-that-you-don-t-have-a-choice-in-the-matter/) [Lindsey Rietzsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-rietzsch/) > [If you simply cannot make the right decision, make a decision and then make it right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-dale-adams/if-you-simply-cannot-make-the-right-decision-make-a-decision-and-then/) [Randall Dale Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-dale-adams/) > [It's really hard coming of age in today's society, where society wants you to make the decision of what you want to do with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rooney-mara/it-s-really-hard-coming-of-age-in-today-s-society-where-society-wants/) [Rooney Mara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rooney-mara/) > [“Slow down your thinking so you can note the criteria you are using to make your decision. 2. Write the criteria down as a principle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/slow-down-your-thinking-so-you-can-note-the-criteria-you-are-using-to/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) ## More by Ward Cunningham > [A wiki works best where you're trying to answer a question that you can't easily pose, where there's not a natural structure that's known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/a-wiki-works-best-where-you-re-trying-to-answer-a-question-that-you/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) > [Shipping first time code is like going into debt. A little debt speeds development so long as it is paid back promptly with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/shipping-first-time-code-is-like-going-into-debt-a-little-debt-speeds/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) > [There's been an awful lot of discussion about what is or isn't simple, and people have gotten a pretty sophisticated notion of simplicity, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/there-s-been-an-awful-lot-of-discussion-about-what-is-or-isn-t-simple/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) > [Global collaboration is something that Wiki mastered in a small way and here we can master it in a big way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/global-collaboration-is-something-that-wiki-mastered-in-a-small-way/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) > [What's the simplest thing that could possibly work?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/what-s-the-simplest-thing-that-could-possibly-work/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) > [Over and over, people try to design systems that make tomorrow's work easy. But when tomorrow comes it turns out they didn't quite understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/over-and-over-people-try-to-design-systems-that-make-tomorrow-s-work/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) > [Why have a locked wiki when you can instead just post static Web pages?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/why-have-a-locked-wiki-when-you-can-instead-just-post-static-web-pages/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) > [The shortest path to exceeding expectations doesn't generally pass through meeting expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/the-shortest-path-to-exceeding-expectations-doesn-t-generally-pass/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) > [When you get in situations where you cannot afford to make a mistake, it's very hard to do the right thing. So if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/when-you-get-in-situations-where-you-cannot-afford-to-make-a-mistake/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) > [Each routine you read turns out to be pretty much what you expected. You can call it beautiful code when the code also makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/each-routine-you-read-turns-out-to-be-pretty-much-what-you-expected/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) > [When I was at Tek, I was frustrated that computer hardware was being improved faster than computer software. I wanted to invent some software…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/when-i-was-at-tek-i-was-frustrated-that-computer-hardware-was-being/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) > [What is simplicity? Simplicity is the shortest path to a solution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/what-is-simplicity-simplicity-is-the-shortest-path-to-a-solution/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) > [I don't claim to be a methodologist, but I act like one only because I do methodology to protect myself from crazy methodologists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/i-don-t-claim-to-be-a-methodologist-but-i-act-like-one-only-because-i/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) > [When a manager asks for hard data, that's usually just his way of saying no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/when-a-manager-asks-for-hard-data-that-s-usually-just-his-way-of/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) > [And then there are difficulties. Computers are famous for difficulties. A difficulty is just a blockage from progress. You have to try a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/and-then-there-are-difficulties-computers-are-famous-for-difficulties/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) [Explore all 17 Ward Cunningham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. 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