Proverbs for Living a Fulfilling Life: Things are rarely as they seem to be

Avoid knee-jerk reactions and snap decisions until you have a better understanding of the situation.   When you make a knee-jerk reaction or decision (emergencies excepted) it will almost always have some negative ramifications.  Take a few moments to breathe; if necessary disengage or dampen your emotions so you can think.  Try to think about the situation from different perspectives, e.g. the way other individuals or groups would think about it.  Particularly consider the motives of the key players as this is often a key to finding a workable solution.  What appears on the surface to be the problem is not necessarily the real problem; solving it may be like putting a Band-Aid on a broken arm, i.e. not very effective long-term.  Taking even a few additional moments and gathering your thoughts and any supplemental information will make your decision better.