"Don't fight the problem, decide it"

George C. Marshall’s advice, “Don’t fight the problem, decide it”, offers a powerful approach to both personal and professional challenges. Rather than struggling against the complexities and emotional frustrations that issues often bring, he suggests a strategic shift: move beyond resistance and seek resolution. Fighting a problem often traps an individual or organization in a cycle of complaint, delay, or paralysis. Energy is wasted on discussing obstacles, debating minute details, or attempting to assign blame, instead of progressing toward a solution.

By focusing on deciding the issue, attention shifts from the negatives to actionable outcomes. Decision-making requires clarity of thought and the courage to take responsibility for the consequences. Marshall’s attitude emphasizes leadership anchored in decisiveness rather than avoidance. When faced with challenges, unending analysis or fretful resistance seldom makes the path forward easier; it can even allow a problem to worsen over time. Choosing to make a decision, no matter how imperfect, establishes momentum, creating opportunities for learning, adaptation, and progress.

This philosophy also acknowledges that problems are an unavoidable reality in life. Treating them as battles to be fought can foster adversarial mindsets, drain morale, and detract from mission or purpose. On the contrary, resolving a problem, or even making a difficult call and moving forward, respects the value of time and resources.

Marshall’s advice has broad applications, whether in military command, business, government, or daily life. Leaders are often defined by their willingness to make a call rather than endlessly weighing pros and cons. Effective action is nearly always preferable to stalemate or procrastination. Deciding a problem does not guarantee perfection, but it harnesses control and instills confidence among those affected.

Choosing to decide, instead of fighting, cultivates a culture of responsibility and progress. The approach brings relief from endless struggle and opens the path forward, fostering a mindset that prizes effective outcomes over fruitless resistance.