The sun peaks
between the curtains in the bedroom window. It's another day. A new beginning.
The first question, after a quick trip to the bathroom of course, is 'what to
have for breakfast.' Trying to watch my weight, it's not going to be Frosted
Flakes or some large cinnamon breakfast pastry. Yogurt again?
After pouring
myself a cup of coffee (no cream or sugar), do I want to watch the news on TV,
read the morning paper, or read a few more chapters of the latest novel I
started? Opting to read the newspaper, I usually go the the 'Horoscopes' first.
While I generally do not allow them to determine the kind of day I might have,
often they do provide some insight.
On this
particular day I am warned that it will be a day “filled with questions that may
require difficult or elusive decisions, potentially effecting the next couple
of days ahead.”
Every day we are
confronted with the need to make decisions, some of them very important, ones
that could have a powerful impact upon life. As humans, we are generally very
bad at making decisions and choices, especially when it comes to the 'big
ones.'
The process of
making a big, difficult decision can cause sleepless nights, fear and regret
for making the wrong decisions, or just not knowing the potential outcomes of
the choices we make.
Most of the
decisions we make on a daily basis occur without really even thinking about
them. What to have for breakfast or what to wear to work do not require a great
deal of thought, unless you have a job interview and what you wear may have
some degree of important. Does this tie really match my sport coat?
As a child, many
of the decisions that effect our lives are made by parents or older brothers
and sisters. “If you tell mom or dad about the party, I'll kill you.” But I'm
too young to die!
The first
important decision most face is...”What do you want to be when you grow
up?” How do I know? I can't even cross
the street by myself yet and now I have to decide on a job or career. Whatever!
Over time we do learn
how to make decisions and we discover that there are really only two things to
consider, 'you' and the process you use. It is at this point that things
sometimes fall apart.
The 'you' part
is pretty simple. If you are having a good day, the decisions made may work out
well, but a bad day may lead to much different results. Under pressure or
stress? It probably is not a good day to make that all important decision. Let
your body be your guide. Quite simply, how do you feel?
In general, good
moods often equal good decisions, while
bad moods...
The second thing
to consider is the process to use. Some people use intuition, others may take a
more rational or organized approach, such as laying out a decision tree or map
or use the Ben Franklin model, consisting of a piece of paper with two columns,
one labeled 'pro', the other 'con'.
Worked for him.
Some thoughts about making good decisions? First. Listen to instincts, but don't let them be
the boss. Next. Try to look at all the alternatives. Third. If you have a bit
of time on your side, separate yourself from the emotions of the moment.
Distance gives perspective. Fourth. By not making a decision, you are, in
actually, making a decision. You are deciding not to decide. Not a good idea if
you are seeking an outcome of some kind.
So, what to have for breakfast today? Instead, I
think I'll just go back to bed and try to catch an extra minutes of sleep.
