Decision Making: How a Single Decision Changed My Life
Filed under: self realization, personal growth, uncategorized
Making decisions and understanding the process we go through is paramount if we are to create the kind of life we want to live. By taking the time to learn how you can make sound decisions you actually put yourself in a position to make better decisions later on.
I have come to the realization that decisions and not our current conditions define our future experiences. We all experience times of fatigue, frustration and even depression but if we decide to turn away from those events and not give them traction in our lives we can create phenomenal results.
My life changed on a specific day when I made one decision. On that day two things happened. I chose who and what I wanted in my life but to take it a step further, I committed to it.
On that night I was at home, listening to one of the first networking seminars I had invested in, just months after starting my first home based business. Dani Johnson was talking about decisions and commitment when she spoke five words that set me on course. But before I go into what she said, I’d like to dig into some of the meat of my thoughts, so hear we go.
Making the Decision to be Decisive
“I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor.” - Henry David Thoreau
First of all, you need to be certain you’re making a committed, true decision.
The difference is in deciding to make a commitment, then taking the steps to fullfill your decision effectively cutting yourself off from another course of action OR do something on a whim with no real intent. In the first scenario you have no choice but to follow through, you have clearly defined and set your sites on a particular goal and nothing will cause you to veer from that path.
The second option is the more popular one. We see it in our new years resolutions. This year I’m going to quit smoking.
Twenty four hours later? A month? Six months?
Still smoking.
Most people don’t place a lot of weight on their decisions. I would venture to guess most people aren’t even making most of the decisions affecting their life in a conscious manner. I may not have realized it at the time but that night as I listened to Dani, I committed to my decision to succeed with every fiber of my being.
Are you letting life create events at random rather then taking control of your own destiny? [Yes or No]
This is what happens when you don’t make earnest decisions with the designed intent to reach for the stars.
You Have Control - Take Back the Power
We are addicted to instant gratification and because of this we no longer know how, why, nor do we want to make decisions that count. The simple truth is that people are lazy and its easier to just let cards fall, than to play the game and effect change in our lives.
You have control of the things you do and master because:
- You decide what to focus on.
- You decide what things mean to you. What are your values?
- You decide what you will do to create the things and/or changes you desire.
These three things define the how, why and the ‘want to’ respectively.
Originally I was going to discuss each of them here but in order to give each of them the respect they deserve I’m going to break this post up into three more parts and cover them over the course of the next couple weeks.
Stay tuned for those articles but before I go, I promised to share the five words which struck me to the core (I bet you thought I forgot, didn’t you?). She was telling her own story and how she decided that Quitting is NOT an Option.
I wrote those words on my heart and here I am today, to say that I continue moving forward, ever closer to each one of my goals. Marveled as my dreams come true.
Decision Making Series:
- How a Single Decision Changed My Life
- You Decide What to FOCUS On
- What Do You Value?
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November 24th, 2007 at 3:19 am
[...] One Decision Changed My Life [...]
November 30th, 2007 at 3:20 pm
This is a great, well thought out article and I will definitely stumble it.
The most important thing that rang bells for me is that we have to decide to decide!
Most information on this subject leaves that most urgent step out!
Warmly
Corinne
December 1st, 2007 at 8:45 am
Nice post. I agree. There’s a tremendous power in deciding to decide. The universe conspires to help you once you commit.
December 1st, 2007 at 8:09 pm
A great thought provoking article TIm. I also take commitment very seriously and I’m slow to commit to anything I don’t believe I will deliver on.
December 2nd, 2007 at 1:20 am
Great article - a great read.
Quitting seems to be on the radar at the moment. Just finished Seth Godin’s “the dip” and I suppose I agree with his viewpoint that quitting can be useful in certain circumstances. It’s choosing what to quit and why.
Thanks for adding to the debate,
S.
December 2nd, 2007 at 1:37 am
Corinne, Sol, Karen, Simone - Thank you to all of you for your compliments. I enjoy hearing from you all as well as your opposing views (if you have any).
Simone, Seth is right. There are times when quitting is the right thing to do. Like those times when you’re pushing so hard for your business process to work but its proving for itself that it never will in its current form. That is the time to quit and look at another viewpoint.
You’re absolutely right.
December 4th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
I agree with Corinne that deciding to decide is the most important ingredient to change. Doing so for myself allowed me to quit smoking, deal with panic disorder AND spend more of my life traveling! Thanks for the great article.
December 5th, 2007 at 11:44 am
Very well written, Tim. Decision making is one of the hardest skills to master, but one of the most important for people working toward success.
You may be interested in my post, What is Decision Making?, which discusses the topic in more detail.
December 7th, 2007 at 3:49 am
[...] How a Single Decision Changed My Life [...]
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:16 am
[...] resolutions to the point of making them without any kind of commitment. This haphazard decision making leads to forgotten and abandoned resolutions just weeks, even days after making [...]
February 5th, 2008 at 2:30 am
[...] pining down a specific reason for why a pressured decision to start a home based business became a true decision. Why do I think about these things? Because I’m an introvert (becoming an enabled introvert, [...]
April 18th, 2008 at 8:27 am
You are so right and thank you for your insights.
I happened upon this post at exactly the right time - no such things as coincidences, right? - and those five words rang as true for me today as they did for you then. They are the motto of so many great achievers, from Winston Churchill, Edison, and Donald Trump, who on a recent interview with Donny Deutsch said the most important attribute of a successful entrepreneur is to never, never give up.
I have come to realise that I have been “conditioned” to believe that I can’t make a decision. Any description of the sign of Libra - which I am - always harps on their indecisiveness. I always see so many options that I never choose one, or if I do choose, I head off in another direction as soon as the going gets difficult. Which means I never truly made a decision in the first place.
This time is different. I chose my current Network Marketing business after a great deal of research and thought, and I will TRUST myself that it was the right one, and that Quitting is Not An Option.
Regards,
Jacqui
http://www.jacquelinegates.com
http://www.jacquelinegates.blogspot.com