Act in Haste, Repent in Leisure

This proverb is all about impulsivity- which comes from how we respond to stress and is part of the “fight or flight” survival mechanism that’s baked into our DNA. It always begins with a thought- and we can ‘t control our thoughts; only how we respond to them. Impulsive behavior happens when we act on thoughts without first weighing the potential consequences of our actions.

The point of this proverb is that either way, we’re stuck with the consequences- for better or for worse. We’ve all acted on impulse and paid a price for it, but the goal is to minimize impulsive behavior by slowing down our thinking. That way, we can weigh the pro’s and cons before acting on a thought. It’s a very short distance between our brain and our mouth- so focus, concentration and staying in the present moment are the best way to avoid impulsive behavior by catching and processing our thoughts before acting on them. That can be incredibly difficult to do under stressful conditions- but at the end of the day it’s a matter of self-discipline.

I like proverbs that are useful, and can have an impact if said at the appropriate time. I’ve gotten lots of mileage from this one (especially with younger lawyers I work with) because it’s a great and thought-provoking way to warn someone not to act on impulse in light of the potential consequences. I hope it helps!