Good Judgment

A recurring theme in my writing on AI and software development is that, now more than ever, good judgment matters. Because powerful tools, used with poor judgment, just let you make bigger mistakes, faster. Realizing this, I was reminded of a quote I first heard from a friend and experienced rock climber in my university’s outdoor club:

Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment

It’s in contrast to a quote attributed to Confucius:

By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.

I think the first quote is closer to the truth. It’s all well and good to sit and think about how to solve a problem or tackle a challenge, but that only gets you so far. You cannot let a fear of “bitter experience” keep you from engaging with the real world, making mistakes, and gaining wisdom and good judgment in the process. As long as you stay alive, that is (literally in rock climbing and figuratively in business). So put some safety measures in place and then go out and do something.

Develop a bias for action, engage with the real world, make mistakes, collect a few bruises along the way, and come out of it with experience and wisdom. Don’t hide behind a need to “do more research,” and don’t let anyone tell you that you can avoid scratches and bruises if only you plan and reflect more.