Two of the most damaging things we can do in our lives are essentially polar opposites: Staying the course in a situation that has become toxic (or even simply too comfortable) because we don't have the means, energy or guts to change … or acting rashly and changing something merely for the sake of changing it, only to regret the impulsive move and the better life we left behind.

When it comes to the Twins, and you cut through the raw emotion of losing 90 games in four consecutive seasons and examine the facts, you are left with a decision on manager Ron Gardenhire that speaks to the nature of change.

We know that, when given capable players, Gardenhire is a very good regular-season manager. Even if he benefited from a weak AL Central at times, six division titles in nine years is an admirable accomplishment for anyone. His teams failed in the playoffs, and this four-year nosedive has been on his watch, but we cannot forget there are positive things on his side of the ledger, too.

The questions Twins management should be asking itself in the next handful of days are these: Would firing Gardenhire simply be change for the sake of change … and is there a greater danger in remaining on a comfortable, familiar course?

Some would argue "change for the sake of change" is reason enough to make a move. Maybe. Sometimes. You could look at attendance at Twins games this September, and the general apathy among a growing number of fans and conclude that, if you were merely crowdsourcing this move, the best thing would just be to dump Gardy and start over.

The counter is that the Twins might be on the verge of giving the man enough talent to compete again, and when that has happened the results have generally been good (the postseason record notwithstanding, which is no small thing and could be an even more damning bit of evidence against Gardenhire staying than four consecutive 90-loss seasons).

There are those, too, who would argue there is a beauty in patience and that being comfortable isn't necessarily a bad thing. Maybe. Sometimes. But patience can bleed into complacency, and complacency can foster an attitude that makes losing acceptable.

If the Twins are going to make a move on Gardenhire, the reasoning needs to be more solid than "we just felt it was time for a change." But if they are going to keep him, it better be because they feel like he's the best man for the job and not because they don't have the courage to move on.

michael rand