Let’s find out the meaning of the proverb the shortest answer is doing.
This old English proverb simply means the quickest or the most definite way to get results, is you got to take action.
You got to do it. Execute it. Carry out or put into effect. Take action.
Or as Quotationize puts it: “Action is result“.
It’s all about about making a start.
Just jump right in and do things.
It doesn’t matter what kind of result or outcome.
The important thing is you make the start. Get it done with it.
Talking about the importance of taking the initiative and get started, read this e-book “Poke The Box” by Seth Godin.
I know there there is another version of this proverb “The shortest answer is doing the thing”, that is attributed to Ernest Hemingway.
As usual, many people just take the shortest way out by copying others blindly, without even checking its authenticity.
As to date, there is no single credible source which indicates that this line is by “Papa” (Ernest Hemingway’s nickname).
So far, I can only locate the proverb “The shortest answer is doing” and NOT “The shortest answer is doing the thing“.
This old English proverb, is mentioned in these two books.
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(This proverb is also found in: )
Mass Misattribution Of Quotations
You don’t need to be brainy or need to spend a good deal of time to read, to know who are the notorious culprits with wrongly or falsely attributed quotes.
For a start, you can check out Wikiquote list.
Then you google the misquotations and you will know which popular websites, I am talking about.
I think the smartest answer to the issues of mass misattributions of quotations is to stop quoting from those unreliable online sites.