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Life is About Choices and the Decisions We Make
By Jacklyn | May 22, 2007
Life is like a road. There are long and short roads; smooth and rocky roads; crooked and straight paths. Many roads would come our way as we journey through life. There are roads that lead to a life of single blessedness, marriage, and religious vocation. There are also roads that lead to fame and fortune on one hand, or isolation and poverty on the other. There are roads to happiness as there are roads to sadness, roads towards victory and jubilation, and roads leading to defeat and disappointment.
Just like any road, there are corners, detours, and crossroads in life. Perhaps the most perplexing road that you would encounter is a crossroad. With four roads to choose from and with limited knowledge on where they would go, which road will you take? What is the guarantee that we would choose the right one along the way? Would you take any road, or just stay where you are: in front of a crossroad?
*There are no guarantees.
You do not really know where a road will lead you until you take it. There are no guarantees. This is one of the most important things you need to realize about life. Nobody said that choosing to do the right thing all the time would always lead you to happiness. Loving someone with all your heart does not guarantee that it would be returned. Gaining fame and fortune does not guarantee happiness. Accepting a good word from an influential superior to cut your trip short up the career ladder is not always bad, especially if you are highly qualified and competent. There are too many possible outcomes, which you really cannot control. The only thing you have power over is the decisions that you will make, and how you would act and react to different situations.
*Wrong decisions are always at hindsight.
Had you known that you were making a wrong decision, would you have gone along with it? Perhaps not, why would you choose a certain path when you know it would get you lost? Why make a certain decision if you knew from the very beginning that it is not the right one. It is only after you have made a decision and reflected on it that you realize its soundness. If the consequences or outcomes are good for you, then you have decided correctly. Otherwise, your decision was wrong.
*Take the risk: Decide.
Since life offers no guarantee and you would never know that your decision would be wrong until you have made it, then you might as well take the risk and decide. It is definitely better than keeping yourself in limbo. Although it is true that one wrong turn could get you lost, it could also be that such a turn could be an opportunity for an adventure, moreover open more roads. It is all a matter of perspective. You have the choice between being a lost traveler or an accidental tourist of life. But take caution that you do not make decisions haphazardly. Taking risks is not about being careless and stupid. Here are some pointers that could help you choose the best option in the face of lifes crossroads:
*Get as many information as you can about your situation.
You cannot find the confidence to decide when you know so little about what you are faced with. Just like any news reporter, ask the 5 Ws: what, who, when, where, and why. What is the situation? Who are the people involved? When did this happen? Where is this leading? Why are you in this situation? These are just some of the possible questions to ask to know more about your situation. This is important. Oftentimes, the reason for indecision is the lack of information about a situation.
*Identify and create options.
What options do the situation give you? Sometimes the options are few, but sometimes they are numerous. But what do you do when you think that the situation offers no options? This is the time that you create your own. Make your creative mind work. From the most simplistic to the most complicated, entertain all ideas. Do not shoot anything down when an idea comes to your head. Sometimes the most outrageous idea could prove to be the right one in the end. You can ask a friend to help you identify options and even make more options if you encounter some difficulty, but make sure that you make the decision yourself in the end.
*Weigh the pros and cons of every option.
Assess each option by looking at the advantages and disadvantages it offers you. In this way, you get more insights about the consequences of such an option.
*Trust yourself and make that decision.
NNow that you have assessed your options, it is now time to trust yourself. Remember that there are no guarantees and wrong decisions are always at hindsight. So choose decide believe that you are choosing the best option at this point in time.
Now that you have made a decision, be ready to face its consequences: good and bad. It may take you to a place of promise or to a land of problems. But the important thing is that you have chosen to live your life instead of remaining a bystander or a passive audience to your own life. Whether it is the right decision or not, only time can tell. But do not regret it whatever the outcome. Instead, learn from it and remember that you always have the chance to make better decisions in the future.
Topics: General, Personal Development | 12 Comments »
May 22nd, 2007 at 8:15 am
In the questions how much is enough then can be successful.Mike Tyson made $300 millions when bankrupt. So the question is not how much one made but how much one can save from what he made.
May 22nd, 2007 at 2:22 pm
I agree to that Henry. We can’t define ourselves as successful if our annual expenditure is equal to or even more than our income, isn’t it?
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:14 pm
I agree with you fully.You have given a wonderful message…’and remember that you always have the chance to make better decisions in the future’…
A good post.Best wishes.
May 22nd, 2007 at 4:21 pm
Thanks Surjit!
May 24th, 2007 at 8:43 pm
Hi Jacklyn,
How are you?
Let take your article is about success & Happiness in Life!
Let it go first! let your past go first!
Money> Success> Happiness = Game of wealth!
In a ideal world, Everyone should feel Happy
& have abundant naturally & Achieves easier lah!
I believed there must be some why??? in you!
* Why I am Not Anthony Robbin…
* why I am not Robert kiyosaki…
* why I am noy Tiger wood…
* why My Father is not Mr Millionaire!
* Why My Mother is not Mdm Lovely!
There are Times in my Life, I asked myself
Why???
But then, The more I asked why??? seem to
Taken up most of my Time?
It does not make me feel good/ positive/ successful &
It proven to be costly & Very Expensive!
Yes! Money is important because you can
use money as a form of contributions to make
more peoples Happier like:
Family, Friends… needy families & Childrens
bottomline, you could be happier!
unless you are a machine/ Aliens, if not…
like you & me, we experienced Emotions!
May 24th, 2007 at 9:03 pm
If you are based in Singapore!
Do visit Raffles City on the side nearer to
SMRT office building!
There is ART fest going on there!
I saw a street painting about illusion
or something…
Do visit the container to enjoy visual Art!
I was there counting Trees on top of the container… Be spotting by joining in e
Fun to Count Trees
You may have a lesson about Love by being
specific in counting the Trees, every Trees!
Have Fun & get in the Actions!
* I won a lucky draw for my Girlfriend.
May 25th, 2007 at 3:46 am
Hi Koon Chong, thanks for your greetings.
I fully agree with you that everybody has one or more “Whys”, and at the same time, how we ask our “why” plays a very important factor in our perpective towards life. I used to ask very negative and disempowering questions like “why am I so unlucky?”, “why must I go through all these sickness and pain?”, “why I’m borned into this poor family?”… and nothing gets better, if not, worst. Eversince I learned how to ask myself resourceful and empowering questions like “what can I learn form this situation I’m caught in?’, “how can I turn my weaknesses into strength and inspiration?”, guess what, I get powerful positive answers and my paradigm of the world and changed! And of course my life changed!
Now, I will not ask “why am I not who or so & so, but I will ask myself “why am I here on this earth and why am I so different from others?”, “what is my purpose and mission in life?”. Since then, I started to live a balance, enjoyable life with my life goals in alignment with my values and identity.
I strongly recommend you to read the national best selling book Master Your Mind, Design Your Destiny. It is a book that will definitely change your life! It teaches me so much more than what I’m sharing here. Take action and start moving towards your success. As Anthony Robbins always quote: Small changes to make a BIG difference!
May 25th, 2007 at 4:05 am
Hey Koon Chong, I am a Singaporean base in Singapore. Thanks for the recommendation on the Art Festival. I’ll drop by when around that corner. Congratulations to you for winning the luck draw. Lucky girlfriend ya?
May 27th, 2007 at 9:32 pm
Everyday is a new day!
May 27th, 2007 at 11:41 pm
Great post which addresses some of the critical factors which befuddle us in our journey of life. It has come at an opportune time for me personally because I am at that crossroads of life. Should I continue where I am or take the plunge into a more risky but exciting and fulfilling route. Is money everything?
Well, I am figuring out the answers and I guess you will know if I do make a hard decision. ;)
June 4th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
[…] Jacklyn at http://www.jacklynker.com – I’m High Vibing Life is about choices and decisions we make […]
June 13th, 2007 at 3:45 am
Hi Walter, sorry for the late reply. Got really busy with my company’s new skin health product launch. Well, with my committment to my Nutrition Business, I still take the plunge into internet marketing focusing on personal development as I believe we should keep growing and expanding our vision. As we know the reason deep in our heart WHY we want to plunge into a new arena, results and rewards will come. Risk is involved only when we decide to give up half way…
All the best to your decision!