Choose to Make Choices (Not Decisions… )

“Successful people recognize crisis as a time for change – from lesser to greater, smaller to bigger.” – Edwin Louis Cole

There’s something to be learned from this quote, but there’s another way of looking at this that’s (potentially) evolutionary.

I have been re-listening to Thomas Leonard’s (excellent!) audio program, The 28 Principles of Attraction, in the car (and no, it has nothing to with The Secret, it’s all about doing… ) and one of Thomas’ principles is apropos.

Most crises are unnecessary. They are completely and utterly avoidable. The truth is that when issues, problems, questions-about-the-future are dealt with early and authentically, they never rise to the level of crisis.

The antidote is having a clear sense of what you want, what you’re going to do to get it and having the wherewithal to do what you can. Of course, things are beyond one’s control at times, but if we’re honest with ourselves we know there’s usually more we can be doing.

The question often is: what do I have to do here, what decision to I have to make? The better question is how did it get to the point of decision? Why didn’t I make a choice before, when things weren’t critical?

Making choices, well in advance of decisions, takes awareness. One must pay attention to the hints of resistance and ‘wrong-ness’ that always precede a “crisis” – Jack Canfield calls these “yellow alerts.”

Know what you want, pay attention to the subtle signals that pop up hinting that you’re on the wrong track with something (or missing out on something… ) and make choices – before you are forced to make decisions.

Similar Posts

  • What Matters In Life?

    In a video Marshall Goldsmith (a respected and sought-after executive coach) talks about what he learned in regards to what truly matters in life. I am going to briefly summarize the six things Goldsmith says are necessary for a “good” life. *  *  * 1) Health I’ve often told myself the best investment I can make…

  • Walking Out of Safety

    He who is outside his door has the hardest part of his journey behind him. – Dutch proverb The hardest thing about anything is starting. Not because the first step is the hardest of the steps, compared to the others. But because there is Safety and anything (and everything) else. It’s kinda like going swimming…

  • The Right Way To Gossip

    As destructive as gossip is normally, turned on its head it can be an incredible force for good. A recent e-mail from Darren Hardy described the power of reverse-gossip: talking about people, behind their backs, in a positive way. Read about it here.  It’s akin to (a definition of) true generosity: giving to someone who really…

  • Do. The. Work.

    It takes 20 years to make an overnight success. – Eddie Cantor People don’t realize that things take time. Becoming takes work. Do the work. Become not just what you might be, become what you truly desire to be. Do. The. Work.

  • Have To or Get To?

    I am a BIG believer in the idea that language, and it’s result, meaning, make SO much difference in and to our lives. I’ve said to people in the past: “What if you got to do that? Instead of having to do that?” Here is one of mentors making his case for this idea: People whose repeated…