Intelligence is a story. A story based on incomplete facts. Life or death decisions turn on whether people buy the story.[to Stuart]
I used to think that keeping secrets from people for their own good was a noble decision, that it would protect them. But when you do that, you just rob those people from making their own decisions.[to Nora]
Decisions don’t get to the desk of the president unless they’re 49-51. I spend my days splitting hairs, but that’s the job I raised my hand for.[to Rayburn, quoting Rayburn]
Decisions based on emotion aren’t decisions, at all. They’re instincts. Which can be of value. The rational and the irrational complement each other. Individually they’re far less powerful.
Decisions are made of kneaded feelings. They’re more often a lump than a sum.
A king must decide who he can trust, and who he must discard.
What do I always say about tough choices?[Paul Rhoades]You don’t know whether your choice is right or wrong until you make it.[Gabby]
The dead don’t decide the future, we do.
Our powers don’t decide who we are. We do.
One admirable decision doesn’t wipe away a lifetime of bad ones.
Never make decisions out of fear. Only out of spite.[to Jesper]
Most people aren’t the final authority, but they don’t want to let on someone else is making the decisions.
