Velleity

The difficulty of getting here prevented people from coming on a velleity, and the eternal presence of these people—like starlings peering down hungrily at a picnic—reminded everyone who was lucky enough to have a job that others were waiting to take their place.

The Diamond Age

Velleity: A wish or inclination not strong enough to lead to action.

Isn’t that a pity? Wanting something but not enough to act.

Learning this word reminded me to live a life of intentional choices and not uneducated wishes.