Making Decisions Work for You
I hugged goodbye a very close friend who is moving several states away. She is uprooting her teenage children and taking on a challenging new position in a new city. What that also means is that she will be temporarily separated from her husband, leaving a job she loves, and a community she has spent decades in. And while that decision to some sounds excruciating, she is very happy!
I know so many people who would be asking themselves repeatedly if they had made the right decision. Was there a truly “right” decision to make?
Many decisions in life are not about choosing the right option, but instead, making sure that the option chosen works out for the best due to focus and diligence.
If she had turned down the job, something any reasonable person could have done, then continuing in her current job with no regrets would have been a positive way to move forward. But she chose to move. She has found a place to live, toured the schools with her girls so that they could make choices on education, has prioritized what to finish up in her current job—and she is doing so with a smile on her face and a view to the opportunity in front of her.
Decision-making is important. But many outcomes are negative not because the decision was wrong, but because we didn’t do our best to ensure that it worked out in our favor. Making the decision is the first step. Everything you do afterwards is what matters.
If your organization decides to upgrade to new software, that’s great. But you might as well have stuck with the outdated version if the organization doesn’t provide resources to learn and opportunity to practice.
You might decide that investing $25 a month in a gym membership is a good decision, but not if you don’t show up.
You might anguish over a decision of which house to buy. But once you decide, start making it your home. There is so much opportunity now that the decision is made!
Making the decision is not the end point. Being deliberate in making it a good choice is.
What decisions have you made that were amazing because of your own efforts following the decision?
Update: I spoke to the friend mentioned at the start of this post. She and her family are doing great! Most would say it is because she made a good decision. I say it’s because she made a decision good.
