I think I post this quote at every election...

And it always fits...

Experience shows that if you lack a coherent set of beliefs and principles, you will flounder. You must know already what you want, and why, and broadly how best to attain it, if you are ever to deal effectively with the thousand-and-one crises that face you in government."
    -- Margaret Thatcher

Actually it's true of life in general. People flounder. Whole continents flounder. We can see this.

Life is a road. You can go one way or the other. You have to think clearly about which way you want to go, or you will certainly drift along the easy downhill direction...