The Truth About Better Decision-Making (Collection), 2/e

Truth 39. Beware of the attractive new shortcut

In April 1846, a group of just over 30 people led by George Donner set out for California from Springfield, Illinois. They picked up other members along the way who wanted to join Donner in taking a new route, "The Hastings Cutoff," through the mountains. The "shortcut" took three weeks longer than the standard route and left them trapped in the blizzards of Sierra Nevada. Nearly half of the 87 pioneers died. The survivors of the Donner party ran short of food, finally forcing some of them to resort to cannibalism.

Sometimes in making decisions, we're faced with a new but untried solution—a shortcut. Take a careful look at the risks involved. Even if the route is less expensive or less time consuming, ...