Every day we are making choices which affect us and the world around us, right from the time we wake up, to the time we hit the sack at night.
Some of our choices are so routine we do not even stop to think about them. For instance, at 5:30 am, I wake up, follow the SAVERS routine (Silence, Affirmation, Visualization, Exercise, Reading, Scribing) from The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod, have my morning coffee, etc.
In its simplest form, a choice can be defined as an act of choosing between two or more possibilities. Life is full of choices, so we ought to be intentional about choosing when faced with a situation, knowing that there are consequences attached to each choice we make.
An example of a dilemma of choice is choosing to intentionally ignore distraction to get things done. Distraction, as we know, comes in many forms, e.g. activities which do not contribute to your end goal like phone calls, or continually checking social media. These distractions can be planned into your day, so you are focused.
A great clip from Alice in Wonderland says it all,
“One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree. ‘Which road do I take?’ she asked. ‘Where do you want to go?’ was his response. ‘I don’t know,’ Alice answered. ‘Then,’ said the cat, ‘it doesn’t matter.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
Several factors influence our choices. For example, past experiences, goals or motivation, how much we think (or don’t think) about the possible consequences of our choices, unconscious biases, degree of commitment, etc.
Our daily lives are a sum of the consequences of the choices we have made up to this point. Some of them were easy, and others extremely difficult. In circumstances where a choice might be too difficult to make, we can simply decide not to choose. While this may feel like one has dodged a bullet, deciding not to choose is also a choice.
In making choices, here are some things to consider
- Be aware of your priorities, goals, and likely consequences.
- Listen to your instinct – more often than not, your gut instinct is right.
- Consider the alternatives – a choice is choosing between two or more possibilities.
- Seek wise counsel – get outside input from an expert in the relevant field.
- Do not give in to fear – fear can be crippling, don’t let fear decide.
- Stand by your choice – once you’ve made your choice, make sure that you commit yourself to it and refuse to look back.
As we intentionally make our choices, let’s make them count, keeping an eye on the goals set before us. I love this quote by John Maxwell “Life is a matter of choices, and every choice you make makes you”.
