The loss of not doing business is commonly a loss greater than the actual money involved, for during the period of idleness fear will consume initiative and, if the shutdown is long enough, there will be no energy left over to start up with again.
There is no use waiting around for business to improve.
 Henry Ford, My Life and Work (1922). copy citation

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Author Henry Ford
Source My Life and Work
Topic loss idleness
Date 1922
Language English
Reference
Note
Weblink http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/7213/pg7213-images.html

Context

“So there was no choice at all. That is always the choice that a man in business has. He can take the direct loss on his books and go ahead and do business or he can stop doing business and take the loss of idleness. The loss of not doing business is commonly a loss greater than the actual money involved, for during the period of idleness fear will consume initiative and, if the shutdown is long enough, there will be no energy left over to start up with again. There is no use waiting around for business to improve. If a manufacturer wants to perform his function, he must get his price down to what people will pay. There is always, no matter what the condition, a price that people can and will pay for a necessity, and always, if the will is there, that price can be met.” source