Make the right decisions today

Around this time last year, I made a decision which today, one year later, is proving quite difficult to undo. Despite my initiative, right thinking, gratitude and all the self help theories, I still find myself tangled in the aftermath of that very unwise decision

A decision made today, is like a tree that you plant. It will alter the terrain into a miniature paradise or a complete replica of hell. We make decisions every day, both minor and major, and it is those decisions that define who we are today. We are a sum total of yesterday's choices and our tomorrow largely summarized by the decisions we are making. Our tomorrow heavily depends on the direction in which we are steering our lives today. Our decisions are the driving wheel of our lives; if used properly they can take us to the right destination whilst the vice-versa leads to a hell hole and death.

The first aspect in decision making is the understanding that when we pick a stick we pick the one end, says self help guru, Stephen Covey Ph.D. we have no choice but to also the other end even tough we did not pick that end. Similarly, when we make a decision, we have no choice on the results of that choice.

Whatever choice we make, it is tied to a set of results-bad or good. For example you cant expect to have healthy lungs when you are a chain smoker. Likewise, healthy living, exercise and right food are all going to lead to a much healthier life which may result in a prolonged life.

But how does one know that the decision he or she is making is the right one and that it will lead to success? First, the chances of making the appropriate decision increase when one engages consultancy. The bible actually says in proverbs, there is safety in a multitude of advisors. Managers and leaders need to understand this aspect the way one see certain things may not be the same way an adviser see it. In Shona they have a saying “chara chimwe hachi tswanyi inda” literally meaning two are better than one.

As individuals seeking to change spheres in their worlds and to give their lives a meaning we have to understand this principle because the decision you make will not only affect you but also the constituency that you serve. Consult them.

Secondly, to make the right decision we have to tap into the spiritual realm either though prayer or meditation. When we do this, we tap into abundant wisdom of the supernatural. The Judeo-Christian Ethic in the biblical book of Proverbs stresses on the point that [the supernatural] is the source of strength and wisdom and without Him, no wise decisions are made.r
Consequently, wisdom may dictate that we refer to the past in order to solve our current challenges. Solomon said there is nothing new under the sun. In business they talk of “reinventing the wheel”. Magistrates, judges and lawyers employ this method to achieve great and consistent results. We should not be afraid to follow what other people did. Hundreds of people have burned the midnight oil in order to pass and get into college. If one chooses to go to college, the surest way of doing it is copying the millions of people who utilized this tactic. We have to understand that there is nothing new on this earth and no matter how peculiar your situation may seem, billions of people dead or alive have gone through similar experiences.

Using the model of the Honey Comb that I developed for my upcoming book, Changing The Spheres In Your World, individuals can alter wrong decisions by counteracting them with a wiser one because, like a honey comb, situations in our lives are so interconnected hence opportunities will always present themselves for you to take charge of your life again. An example of this is when a kid who decided to run away from school finally is influenced to go back to school and he finally gets his High School diploma.

I am, however, not encouraging people to go and make wrong choices because they know that they can counteract them with right ones later; no! Wrong decisions, whether counteracted or not, are a waste of time and that in itself is a compromise to the aspect of Giving Life A Meaning (GLAM). What I am encouraging is that those people who have made wrong decisions should counteract them with the right ones as they can rein their lives back on course.