Time and time again I find myself feeling hesitant towards doing something that I simply want to do. I overthink things, calculating the consequences in my mind and plotting points on a non-existent map towards my desired goal. I can be impulsive and make rash and hasty decisions using clouded and irrational judgement. To me, there exists 3 different categories of decision-making approaches.
1. Irrational Decisions-these are the decisions I make for pretty much no reason at all. If you asked me why I did something, I’d have absolutely no explanation to provide for you.
2. Overthought Decisions- I reach these decisions after days, weeks, maybe even months of thinking. While I believe deep thought and consideration is important in making decisions, these I spend a regrettable amount of time on-too much time.
3. Ideal Decisions- ah the perfect one. Decision made swiftly with just the right amount of tug-of-war between yes and no. Afterwards, we are satisfied with ourselves, and the impact our decision had on others. Why can’t all decisions be the ideal one?
We are humans. We are so incredibly far from perfection; but all these decisions combined make us into who we are. With each step and chapter in our lives we are lead to choices; in some of these choices we let others down, or even worse, ourselves. Imagine all the times you turned away from something you wanted or stopped fighting for something you believed in. For me, there has been far too many. However, I have realized that is not a proactive way to live. In fact, it’s a lazy way. I don’t want to have to look back at my life and picture it differently. As I age, I hope I can trust in my decisions, no matter the degree of importance.
I hope when you take a step back, you feel content. Every day, you have to wake up and remember why you are where you are. How can you be better tomorrow and are you taking action towards your aspirations? If you are not, I suggest you get moving. All you are promised is the moment. Start swimming towards your ship rather than hoping it will sail towards you. Live not to be a part of a better world, but to create a better world. I started writing this to encourage you to make ideal decisions. But, the more I think about it, it is important to make decisions of all kinds. In the end, nothing is worse than imagining “what if?”