“Never set to work at anything if you have doubts about it: he who acts in doubt is already half defeated.”Baltasar Gracián · Oracolul manual · 1647 · Oracolul manual, Maxima 91
Doubt at the start weakens every step and makes you half-defeated before you begin.
Gracián argues that initial doubt is not just a sign of caution but a real obstacle. When you start something without conviction, every step is hesitant, and others sense your uncertainty. A commander who attacks hesitantly is repelled; an artist who begins a work without confidence abandons it. Example: an entrepreneur who launches a product half-heartedly fails more often than a determined one.
Why it matters Use this to evaluate whether to start a project: without conviction, it's better to quit from the outset.