One of the great mistakes is to judge policies and programs by their intentions rather than their results. — Milton Friedman

One of the great mistakes is to judge policies and programs by their intentions rather than their results.

Author: Milton Friedman

Insight: We're drawn to good intentions. There's something comforting about knowing someone meant well—it feels like a kind of moral credit we can extend. But this quote points to something harder: intentions are cheap. A government program designed to help the poor, a company initiative meant to boost wellness, a well-meaning intervention by a friend—they can all fail spectacularly, and good intentions don't change that failure into a success. The tricky part is that we naturally judge things we care about by effort and heart rather than outcomes. It feels harsh to say "this didn't work" when someone tried so hard. Yet this is precisely where we fool ourselves most. A policy that sounds compassionate but leaves people worse off is worse than an unpopular one that actually helps. A diet plan that seems logical but doesn't work for your body won't change just because you believe in it. The results are what matter to the person living with the consequences. This doesn't mean intentions are irrelevant—they reveal character and direction. But they're the starting point, not the finish line. Real judgment comes when we ask: did this actually work? Did it help? Did it make things better? Those questions take more effort than praising someone's heart, but they're the only ones that ultimately matter.

Source: Friedman on Freedom, p. 55, 2003