The United States Marine Corps trains its officers to make life-or-death decisions using something called the 70% Rule. Most men have never heard of it. And it might be the single most useful idea for making decisions you'll ever learn.
The rule is simple. If you have 70% of the information you need and 70% confidence in your decision, you act. You don't wait for more data. You don't run another analysis. You don't call another meeting. You move.
The Marines didn't arrive at this number by accident. Decades of combat experience taught them something that behavioural economists have since confirmed in laboratories. Waiting for more certainty doesn't improve outcomes. It degrades them. Conditions on the ground change while you deliberate. The window closes. The man who waited for 90% certainty is now making his "perfect" decision about a situation that has already changed around him.
This principle reaches far beyond the battlefield. And you're probably violating it every single day.
This content is only available to subscribers
Subscribe now and have access to all our stories, enjoy exclusive content and stay up to date with constant updates.
Unlock contentAlready have an account? Sign In
