This first series of posts have been about making decisions, and some of the things I think I have learned. I write this series at a time that I face a relatively large decision of my own making, and this has caused the reflection. I am yet to make my decision, but I am hoping that when I do, I will have been able to follow my own advice from this series.
So how do I sum this up?
- When we have a narrow focus and apparent field of consequences relating to a decision we are poised to make, it appears this is rather easy and can be done in a rather formulaic way, by simply balancing pros and cons. At this point in my life I am starting to think that this may be the reality of decision making for the young, unattached, detached and narcissistic.
- As our understanding of the complexity of the world grows, so to the difficulty of making decisions increases, as the extent of the consequences of our decision can seem to increase exponentially.
- To live a fulfilling life, we probably need to own our decisions and their consequences, and we should be grateful the fact that we are being given the opportunity to make a decision. Not too long ago, most people had little capacity to make decisions about their future, and even now there are places where people have no input into important decisions about their own lives.
- Taking ownership of our decisions means not deferring the weighting of the potential consequences to somebody else's apparent beliefs. When we make decision based on other peoples perspectives or beliefs we remove some of the sense of empowerment that we can gain from the decision making process and are diminished as a person as a result.
- We need Cheer-leaders for the inspiration to overcome inertia, but they are not directing our lives - that is our own responsibility.
- We need the wisdom and experience of the External Influencer to show us the unforeseen - both good and bad - and to highlight options. This is especially important in circumstances where the decision takes us into the unknown. However, they are also not directing our lives.
- We are ultimately responsible for all the results from our decisions, whether we accept it or not. If we do not own our decisions and their consequences, we live in limbo, expecting others to direct us.
- When our time as humans meets eternity, at the end of our life, the sum total of our decisions and their consequences is what will be our legacy, whether we have owned our decisions or not.
- It seems that it would be better to work to leave the legacy that you want, by understanding that all decisions have consequences and the net sum will be what is at the bottom of the ledger.
- We all need Cheer-leaders and External Influencers, so we should all strive to be the best of these that we can, when we are called on to do so.
