Don’t Get It and You’ll Regret It: A Holiday Market Lesson in Decision-Making
There’s something magical about traveling through Europe during the holidays—twinkling lights over cobblestone streets, the scent of mulled wine in the air, and Christmas markets tucked into every historic square. This week, as my friends and I make our way through France, Germany, and Prague, we’re revisiting some favorite spots and discovering plenty of new ones. Every market has its own charm: handcrafted ornaments, local art, unique foods, and those irresistible treasures you somehow never see twice.
At one particular market, I spotted something that caught my eye. I picked it up, admired it, imagined exactly where it would go at home, and then I did what so many of us do:
“I’ll get it later.”
But “later” isn’t always guaranteed, especially in a sprawling holiday market that twists and turns like a festive labyrinth. When we tried to retrace our steps, we simply couldn’t find the stall again. It had disappeared into the sea of lights, music, and crowds.
And just like that, our group adopted a new saying:
“Don’t get it and you’ll regret it.”
It makes us laugh when we say it, but underneath the humor is a truth that keeps tapping me on the shoulder.
The Cost of Waiting
Walking through these markets, I’ve been thinking about how often this pattern shows up in our work.
We see an opportunity.
We sense a problem that needs addressing.
We know a decision is waiting for us whether it involves hiring, restructuring, adopting a new system, clarifying responsibilities, or finally implementing that process improvement we’ve been talking about for months.
We figuratively pick it up… and then set it right back down with:
“I’ll do it later.”
But later has a way of slipping away.
One of the biggest lessons I teach in my consulting work (and one I’m relearning on this trip) is this:
Not deciding is still a decision.
And it’s very often the costliest one.
It creates drag inside an organization. It keeps teams stuck. It invites confusion, burnout, and inefficiency. It lets opportunities expire quietly in the background and most importantly, it stifles individual and group initiative and innovation. And just like the item in the market, sometimes the window isn’t open when we finally circle back.
Why We Wait
We wait because waiting feels easier.
Acting requires commitment.
Acting requires change.
Acting requires owning whatever comes next.
But the illusion of safety that comes with delaying decisions is just that, an illusion. While we wait, the situation moves on without us. The decision is still being made… just by default instead of by intention.
And default decisions rarely produce the outcomes leaders want.
A Better Way Forward
This funny little phrase - “Don’t get it and you’ll regret it”—has turned into a leadership principle I didn’t expect to bring home.
If your instincts say something is right…
If you’ve already done the thinking…
If the opportunity is in front of you…
Don’t put it back on the shelf.
You don’t need the perfect moment to act.
You need the willingness to act.
Ask yourself:
What decision have I been avoiding even though I already know the answer?
Where am I letting “later” quietly become “never”?
What opportunity will be gone, or far harder, if I keep waiting?
Don’t Get It… Or Regret It
Somewhere in a European Christmas market is an item I will never find again. It’s a small thing, but it left me with a big message:
Opportunities don’t always wait.
Clarity often comes after the action, not before it.
And the regret of hesitation almost always outweighs the risk of thoughtful action.
Most importantly:
Not deciding is still a decision—just rarely the one you’d choose on purpose.
So, whether the choice in front of you involves your team, your systems, your strategy, or your growth…
Don’t wait for “later.”
Decide now.
Move now.
Choose now.
Your future self, and your future results, will thank you.
Now back to traveling—and to the markets I go…