Sydney J. Harris Quotes

Let nothing prevent you from changing your previous decision if after consideration you feel that the previous decision was incorrect.

I'm not a big believer in second-guessing decisions.

Is it not in human nature sometimes, based on the facts that you now know, to reconsider?

We often repent of our first thoughts, and scarce ever of our second.

Second thoughts oftentimes are the very worst of all thoughts.

I missed a lot of decisions. At the time of making such a decision, there was no doubt in my mind as to its correctness. However, a second or two later I felt that I erred and wished I could change my original ruling.

I also held that view for about 50 years, but lately I have been rethinking it and now believe I was wrong.

I'm always doubtful. Everything I do is always doubtful. When you're trying to differentiate, there's going to be this gut sense, is this right? If you're not having doubt, then you're not pushing it hard enough, or you're not looking at the details close enough. You need to be feeling that doubt every single day.

I wasn’t having second thoughts, but I was having thoughts.

If you have any question in your mind, don't do it. If you go in thinking it's going to fix something that's wrong, don't do it.

He felt that he was still groping in the dark; he had chosen his path but kept looking back, wondering whether he had misread the signs, whether he should not have taken the other way.

I don't know if I would do this if I had to start over again.

You aren't sure if you're making the right decision - about anything, ever.

I am very indecisive. I'm always afraid of making the wrong decision.

I have reservations about everything I do.

There wasn't a time where I felt fearful that I couldn't make the best decisions possible.

The biggest doubts come in the five minutes after I hit send.

When in doubt, doubt the doubt!

We all find ourselves involved in projects or activities that confound us-when or why did I say I would do this? What was I thinking? I needed a poem for myself that said-pause longer. Think again.

I'm starting to mistrust my judgment.

Second thoughts, they say, are best.

I always question whether it's the right time for anything I do.

I think when you have doubts, you just say no.

I second-guess and overthink and rethink every single thing that I do.

First thoughts are not always the best.