Long and tumultuous are the days of man, and how a guy lives with himself is based mostly around his decisions. Although not always easy to make, decisions are really all we have, and since no one else is going to do it for us, w
e must learn the art of decision making.
Ghost of a Bad Idea
You might not always be happy to make a decision, usually because you fear what waits on the other side. The outcome of many big decisions is out of our hands, so the most you can do is make the best choice possible at that particular moment and hope it stands the test of time. Most people don’t take kindly to uncertainty, fearing what happens if they let go of the wheel, but sometimes letting go, however counterintuitive, is the best recourse for a happy ending. It doesn’t take a genius to know decisions made for the immediate future aren’t always as golden as ones that take into account the big picture. Although decisions should be made in the moment, they shouldn’t be just for the moment. Look further towards the end, work towards the main goal, but don’t lose yourself so much you forget where you are right now.
Sticking to Your Guns
Any tough decision is filled with lingering doubt and fear of regret, waiting for the other shoe to slowly drop. Sometimes it does, but sometimes it doesn’t. You can play the what-if game your entire life, but it won’t do much good. Decisions are like little baked tart pies filled with chance, hope, remorse and probably a healthy dose of gluten. Occasionally something better will come your way, but that doesn’t mean it’s always the right thing. The old adage “everything happens for a reason” is common for a purpose, its trust in the moment over its potential in the future. Whether it’s a hotter girlfriend, a higher paying job or salad when you really wanted soup, we have to learn to stand by our decisions. Chances are the hotter girl would soon realize she can do better, the better-paying job is more stressful and makes you want to hop in the bathtub with all your kitchen appliances, and the soup tastes like shit and scalds the tongue of every poor bastard it meets. Stick to your guns, son.
Numero Uno Ain’t Always First
We spend so much of our adolescence learning how to look out for ourselves, always making the best decision for “me,” and then one day you’re sitting on the couch watching cartoons with a couple of loud-ass rugrats because you met a girl who couldn’t play responsibly and now you’re making decisions for four and are always the one left without milk for his cereal. Sooner or later the decisions are no longer just about you. In time, you’ll find that you’re the last priority of your decisions, and that’s okay. Don’t forget that, but don’t leave yourself in a deep, dark well without a rope to climb up either. Although your world may suddenly revolve around someone other than you, you’re still somewhat worth considering in your own decisions. There’s plenty of milk to go around, but you could buy soy because kids hate that crap.
Decide Before it’s Decided for You
Timing is everything in a good decision. When you wait long enough to make up your mind, you’ll find your mind is made up for you and your good fortune is scattered along the sidewalk. Once you had the upper hand, space to make a good move for everybody’s benefit, and before you know it, the future is underway and you’re left make hasty decisions.
Stop wasting time an
d good opportunities when you can have it all. Delaying the inevitable makes no sense if it hurts you the longer you hold out. It’s like waiting until it rains to buy an umbrella; you know it’s going to sprinkle eventually so don’t get caught without one when it pours. But every time it rains, you’ll always see a fellow running in a garbage bag with a newspaper over his head. He never had good timing with his decisions.
The Formula
There’s no science or math equation that can teach you how to make a good decision. A lot of it’s based on common sense, but there’s a good formula for checking you’re making some decisions the right way. It goes something like this:
Timing + Patience + Honest Intention = Higher Probability of Positive Outcomes
By realizing the timing isn’t quite right in certain situations, having the patience to wait for the opportune moment and entering into a decision with good, selfless intention, you align yourself with the best possible outcome. Although it’s not fail-proof and could all end in a whirlwind of shit and tragedy, at least you hedged your bets. Having said that…
Listen to Your Gut
That little voice in your head, the butterfly in your belly or the twitch of an eye, any of which might give you a deep feeling up from your loins that goes against any formula and recalls any lesson you ever learned. It’s something you feel so much that you’re almost certain without knowing for sure so you ignore any advice and follow instinct instead.
Sometimes it’s as simple as that, an intuition that trumps all logic, and some of those bigger decisions rely on that innate inner strength, however unlearned and inexperienced. And sometimes it’s just a tingling in your pee hole that signifies an undiagnosed urinary tract infection, in which case you can stick to logic, formulas and see a doctor before it gets out of hand. Now that is a good decision, indeed.
