Do me the favor to deny me at once.
Benjamin Franklin
The recent impasse in the U.S. government regarding the budget and the debt ceiling reminded me once again of the concept of kicking the can down the road. In case you aren’t familiar with that phrase, it means delaying the real decision. In the case of the U.S. Congress, they didn’t really address the issues; they simply agreed to delay facing the problem and coming up with a long-term solution. They kicked the can down the road.
While the actions of Congress were a very visible display of kicking the can down the road, legislators certainly don’t have a monopoly on that type of behavior. Unfortunately, I often see the same poor choice practiced by both businesses and individuals.
I often see businesses arrange loans to support unprofitable operations rather than make the difficult decisions that would improve the business; they try to borrow their way out of problems rather than solve them. I see individuals who are unhappy in their work environment but don’t have the courage to seek better treatment or alternative employment. And I encounter far too many people who have miserable home lives but refuse to face the situation, hoping some miracle will happen that will make the problem go away.
All of these situations are everyday examples of kicking the can down the road. The people involved made the decision not to make a decision. Their choice was to defer action in hopes that the problem will somehow solve itself.
Kicking the can down the road rarely improves the situation. More often than not, delaying a decision on thorny problems only makes things worse: the problems grow and resistance to finding a solution mounts as people become more entrenched in their opinions.
When you find yourself kicking the can down the road, stop and ask yourself what buying a little time will do for you and the problem. If you must take bitter medicine, it’s best to take it quickly.
Well done is quickly done.
Augustus Caesar
63 B.C. – A.D. 14
Copyright © 2013 John Chancellor