When my Dad was teaching me how to drive one day, he said "If you hesitate, don't go." So if I were trying to judge if I had time to pull out onto the road before that big truck got to me and I hesitated in my decision, I'd better just stay put and wait until the next available opening.
Have I been honked at for waiting? Yes. But I bet it has saved my life more times than those times I slammed the pedal to the floor and raced to get out.
I have only had two accidents in my driving career. Both were in the city, where impatient drivers and split decisions make driving stressful. The first accident was caused by a blocked roadsign. The second, I hesitated and did not stay still. I went for it. I listened to a frantic, impatient driver who was waving me through instead of my gut instinct and Dad's advice.
I realized today that this is a metaphor for my life. If I hesitate I don't go. If I don't hesitate I go all the way, barreling through obstacles whether its easier to go around or not. I'm an all or nothing kind of girl, but I tend to error on the side of hesitation.
And it has probably saved my life more times than barreling through it.