HOW TO KNOW THE BEST CHOICES TO MAKE IN LIFE
Our
choices are so important because they influence the results of all areas of our
lives. Sarah Dessen, an American writer, paints a better and clearer picture of
the impact of our decisions when she says that “The
choices you make now, the people you surround yourself with, they all have the
potential to affect your life, even who you are, forever.”
Where
we are today in our career, business, finances, spiritual life, family life,
even health, is the product of the choices we made in the past. So making the
right choices always is very crucial if we must forge ahead successfully. Our
decisions create our destinies.
And
you know what? Each of us makes thousands of choices daily. As a matter of
fact, Dr. Joel Hommans makes a reference to the finding
by researchers
at Cornell University that we make 226.7
decisions each day on just food alone. Also, a number of Internet sources say
that on the average, each person makes about 35,000 choices per day.
What
this certainly indicates is that each day life saddles us with the
responsibility to take decisions on what to eat, what to wear, where to go,
whom to see, which customer to call, which business deal to close, which
investment option to make, which church to attend, which friends to make, when
to drop and pick our kids from school, when to go for a medical checkup, which
supermarket to go for shopping, which car to drive, which route to take to
office, and which airline to fly.
What
of other life-changing choices such as which person to marry, which business
partner to have, which career to pursue, and which mentor to choose?
Some of these decisions are taken in
a split of a second, while some need a little more time. Some persons, perhaps
you know some of them, have died or got ruined by taking certain wrong decisions; others have lived and
progressed by also taking particular right
decisions. Our outcomes are the product of our choices. Dexter Yager says,
“Success is a decision”. That means, failure is also a choice.
Decision-making is the act of choosing between two
or more courses of action. It is a very important grace or skill we need in the face of thousands of options that confront us each day.
Now, how can you constantly make
choices that will move you forward in life, increase your wealth, improve your
health, increase your peace of mind, strengthen your relationships, grow your
family, and multiply your influence? How can you always know the best option to
take from two or more alternatives?
Keys To Making the Best Choices
Making
the right choices is very empowering. And in the words of Mary Anne Evans, an English
novelist with the pen name, George Eliot, “Choice
is the strongest principle of growth.” These keys will always guide you to
make the best choices.
(1)
Always keep your life purpose (ultimate
goal) before you: Your life purpose is the reason for which you live. It answers
the question, why did God create you? It is the pivot or fulcrum of your
earnest desires and passion. You’re so devoted to it that you’ll never take any
decision that will adversely affect or abort it.
Some
people print their life purpose and place it where they can read it every day.
Some pin it to their dressing mirror. Have you done so too? It’s very inspiring.
(2)
Be clear on your core values: Core values are the fundamental beliefs of a person
or organization. They are guiding
principles that dictate behavior and help people determine what is right and
what is wrong. Some people call them personal
philosophy. Core values can include things such as having honesty as the
best policy; fair dealings with and prompt service to all clients; being a faithful
steward of God’s resources, etc. The rule of thumb is, always reject any option that is in conflict with your core values.
(3)
Have enough relevant information:
One possible cause of making wrong choices is having very scanty or irrelevant
information on a given matter upon which decision is to be taken. So try as
much as you can to gather information that is not only enough but also relevant
to the subject matter upon which you want to make your choice.
(4)
Engage the power of reasoning: To reason is to think about something in a logical or sensible way by using the
facts and figures at your disposal. For example, since Mr. A who is seeking
employment in your organization has been sacked in his first two places of work, it means that he’s likely
to earn a third sack if you hire him.
(5)
Follow divine guidance, some call it intuition:
God can direct us through our intuition, the strong inner feeling we have about
something. I heard a story of a mum who asked her daughter to go and sell some
food stuff. The daughter was so reluctant to go and pleaded with the mother
that she didn’t feel like going out that day, but the mother insisted. In
obedience, the daughter went out to sell only to be knocked down by a vehicle.
She died on the spot. The daughter was sensitive to her inner, gut feelings,
but the mother wasn’t.
(6)
Seek counsel: Lori Hil
suggests that “If you don’t have the information you need
to make
wise choices, find someone who does.” You can seek advice in several
ways. You can meet your pastor, experienced business associate, and mentor. You
can seek God’s help by praying to Him and studying His Word, the Bible. God
speaks constantly on things that we need to know, but the problem is in being
able to tune in to His frequency to get the signals. Those who do, always get
very clear on the best options to take.
If you found this post
useful, I welcome your comments and even questions. Also feel free to Like it,
share it and invite others to do same.
0 comments