1/22/26: Take Two — A Perfectly Logical Error
Ideas and inspiration for a more intentional, extraordinary life.
January 22, 2026
A PERFECTLY LOGICAL ERROR
My dad once told me a story about growing up in Ireland during World War II.
Out of concern that the country might be invaded, many signs were stripped of their English, leaving only the Gaelic text. The idea was simple: make navigation harder for any invading force.
After the war ended, English signs were slow to return. Most of the time, this caused only minor confusion—until international travelers began passing through Shannon Airport.
The restroom doors were labeled only in Gaelic:
Fear — men
Maighdean — women
To travelers unfamiliar with the language, the reasoning seemed obvious. Fear starts with an F, so it must be female. Maighdean starts with an M, so it must be men.
Perfectly logical. Completely wrong.
People kept walking into the wrong restroom until airport officials finally added English translations.
The travelers weren’t thinking poorly—they were thinking clearly. Their logic worked. What failed was the information underneath it.
Life is full of moments like this. Times when our reasoning is sharp, our conclusions feel obvious, and yet we’re still heading for the wrong door.
Because logic is only as reliable as the understanding it’s built on.
We don’t usually go wrong because we aren’t thinking. We go wrong because we’re thinking from incomplete information—and treating it as if it’s complete.
So perhaps the quiet wisdom isn’t to distrust our thinking—but to hold it lightly enough to ask, What might I be missing here?
Sometimes the most important course correction isn’t a better answer, but a better question.
QUOTATIONS TO CONSIDER
“It is easier to see the mistakes in other people’s thinking than in our own.”
— Simone Weil, French philosopher
“The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend.”
— Henri Bergson, French philosopher
“It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.”
— Mark Twain, American writer and humorist
“The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence.”
— Charles Bukowski, American poet and novelist
BOOK RECOMMENDATION
Same as Ever by Morgan Housel
At its core, Same as Ever is about human behavior. Housel explores the timeless forces that shape success, failure, progress, and frustration. Technology changes. Circumstances change. People don’t—at least not in the ways that matter most.
Same as Ever is a reminder that progress always comes with friction. Every meaningful pursuit has an “overhead cost”—stress, uncertainty, inefficiency, and inconvenience. The challenge isn’t eliminating these costs; it’s learning how much of them to accept so you can keep moving forward. Another great book from Morgan Housel. Check it out.
BEFORE YOU GO
This week, I’m focused on asking better questions—exploring what I might be missing—and remembering that a little inefficiency is part of the deal. I hope you find the right balance between progress and imperfection as you pursue the life you want.
Stay inspired by the life you’re living.
Kevin