Decisions
- 1. Decisions “When a decision has to be made, make it. There is no totally right time for anything.” - General George Patton Take a personal inventory of where you are now. Are your trials and tribulations the consequence of someone else’s actions? Maybe the economy, the government, the weather, or your family is accountable for anything terrible that is transpiring in your life at the moment. This is a mountain of lies; hope you would not mind the use of such a strong phrase. To mince no words, you are where you are now because of a thousand small and big decisions taken over a time period. Yes, they have the final say in shaping your personality. Decisions are the heartbeats of our lives. Whether they are major or minor good decisions, they will always take you a step closer toward achieving your goals. Decisions are made when you make a choice and cut yourself off from any other possibility. A decision is when you choose to move in one direction and not in any other possible direction. It is the cut-off point. It is a commitment to one particular action. The pedigree of the word “decision” comes from the Latin roots de, which means “from,” and caedere, which means “cut-off.” Thus, you are cut-off from any other possibility. Life is full of decisions. For example, how can I eliminate the stress in my job? What should I do with my earnings? What should I do to become rich and famous? What should I wear for my friend’s birthday bash? What career do I want to have? What kind of marriage partner do I want? How many children do I want to have? Each individual is a decision maker by himself. Each one of us is obliged to take the process of decision-making seriously and keep improving the quality of our lives (with good decisions). Those who have become millionaires and billionaires have revealed the truth that each one of them had the tendency to make up their minds quickly and change their minds slowly (if change was needed at all). This is truly the telltale sign of their greatness. People who are enmeshed in financial difficulties, without
- 2. exception, have the tendency to make up their minds slowly and change their minds quickly. Firmness of decision Henry Ford imagined that a V-8 engine was a certainty. No shred of doubt existed in his mind. His engineers did not sing the same tune. However, because he was ruling the roost (at the helm of his company’s affairs), they unenthusiastically worked on some plans before they told him it was unworkable. Ford, being stubborn as a mule, insisted that his men give it more effort. They tried very hard, but their efforts again proved to be fruitless. When they again told Ford that the idea was impracticable, he came reasonably close to losing his temper and told the men point blank that he had to have a V-8 engine. This time the men approached the task with fresh energy and the V-8 engine became a reality. Do not blow hot and cold if the plans are not producing the desired results (plans take time to happen). Maintain an even temper and stand by your decisions. Indecision Indecision invariably happens because we lack confidence in our capabilities. Without being able to make a decision, a person ensures that he will not advance in whatever task may be at hand. It is a way to remain “stuck” (without getting you anywhere). “Stagnation” is the operative word here. Indecision is a habit that typically starts in youth. The habit cements its place as a youth goes through grade school, high school, and even through college without a definite purpose. Indecisiveness is responsible for the derailing of careers. Not selecting an appropriate job also comes under the heading of indecisiveness. Bring an element of certitude in your thinking. Control your destiny by your planned and purposeful actions. Enjoy the fruits of your labor.
- 3. When in two minds, take assistance When Tom was a little boy, he was no slouch at basketball (it was not just a sport but a passion for him). He knew how to dribble the ball past defenders and drive to the basket for a dunk or a layup, and when to stop and shoot a jump shot. But when he reached adulthood, he became obsessed with airplanes. He used to watch air force movies weekly and read aloud flying magazines at bedtime. He regularly stood behind hedges near airports, photographing planes taking off and landing. He took trips to air museums and traveled many miles to see air shows. He had cakes resembling Spitfires and soft toys in the shape of a Concorde. It became a good dilemma as to which path he should choose (his childhood passion or his adulthood obsession). Becoming confused, he went to his father and asked, “Shall I be a basketball player or a pilot?” “Tom,” his father replied categorically, “If you want to do complete justice to your vocation, choose one.” Tom decided to become a fighter pilot. He joined the Royal Air Force in 1983 as a university cadet while at Kings College London. He started formal pilot training in 1987, and since then, he has never been employed outside the cockpit. With over 4200 flying hours, Tom is on his 6th consecutive flying tour, all of which have been in single-seat fighters. Tom was successful as a fighter pilot mainly because he had excellent reactions and good hand–eye coordination. His favorite method of attack was to fly underneath an enemy, and with his weapon pointing upward, empty his missiles into the body of the doomed aircraft. Positive decisions bring positive results Kaitlin was an ambitious woman. She was just two months old at her job and wanted to quickly learn the ins and outs of her profession. She was even jockeying for a promotion (without resorting to kowtowing). Therefore, she started to put in that extra effort to learn more in less time. This kind of stressful work pattern came in direct conflict with her family life. She had no time to wind down, nor could she find any time to spend with her husband (a rabbi who was working with a congregation near Washington, D.C.) and kids. In addition, routine skirmishes flared up between Kaitlin and her husband because of her physical and mental fatigue.
- 4. To resolve these unhealthy circumstances, she looked over her life and pondered it. Realizing her mistakes, she decided to address the issue by posing the following questions to herself: (a) How can I not get sandwiched between the two situations, i.e., how can I balance my family and work? (b ) When can I be on a vacation with my husband and kids? (c ) What do I want to achieve five years down the line? No sooner had she made a searching analysis then she began to see positive results in her life. Constructive decision making: constructive decisions are made “with the head and the heart.” We actually make better decisions when we use our conscious mind together with our unconscious mind. A constructive decision maker always has the company of six friends—who? what? why? when? where? and how?. Important pointers – (1 ) Constructive decisions make people look up to you. (2 ) Constructive decisions satisfy the creator. (3 ) Constructive decisions give personal satisfaction. (4 ) Constructive decisions are progressive in nature. (5 ) Constructive decisions make you a man of substance. (6 ) Constructive decisions contribute to your character building. Constructive decisions that result in negative outcomes should not make you frantic with worry. If you make up your mind to take the scenic route, depending on the knowledge you have about the road (less traffic, minimal risk, great scenery), then your decision is a fantastic one, even though you might happen to get into an accident. It is not correct to say, “Oops, this was a helluva decision. I am such an idiot.”
- 5. Thaddeus had a hankering to be the best express pace bowler in the world. But his coach told him that, because of his short stature, he could not generate the pace to cut the swathe through the opposition batting line-up. Thaddeus did not go ballistic on hearing this hard-to-digest truth. Instead, he worked like a maniac to be a multifaceted spinner. He learned the art of offspin and leg spin to get wickets. Within no time, he posed a huge threat to the opposition. He became a dependable, genuine match winner for his team. So what if he could not become a lightning quick bowler? He made sure that he still became a bowler of class. All this could happen only because of his constructive thinking and decision-making (they go hand-in-glove with each other). Destructive decision-making: Correct thinking is the basis for successful decision- making. Without it, any talent or intellectual potential is a waste. Awful, boring, hell, tedious, hackneyed, unbearable…these sorts of words can be heard from people who have “viruses” infecting their thinking. It is their thinking that is causing them maximum damage. Their perspectives have robbed them of the “enjoyment factor” in their lives. It is only a question of time before glumness sets into their lives. Just look at these shameful instances: people permit themselves to “drink” in an “uncontrollable” manner, even though there is well-documented evidence describing its detrimental effects; they take drugs (heroin, cocaine) for pleasure when they know it is endangering their health; and they eat endlessly and develop a plump figure. Hence, it is no surprise that they are setting themselves up for trouble. Their destructive decision-making leads them to the point where they are teetering on the brink of self-destruction.