Have you seen the movie Sliding Doors?  It’s a story that gives you 2 stories, 2 choices.   Does Gweneth Paltrow choose to go on the train or not? This will change her life and it shows you both outcomes.

Life isn’t really like that but certainly the choices we make can make a serious difference to our future success & happiness.

Do you think it’s the big or small choices that make a difference in your life?   I’d love your thoughts?

I’m sure you have friends you look at and say ‘if only she/he hadn’t married that person’ or ‘ if only he hadn’t driven the car after having those beers’ or…. Or….. We all have choices to make daily. Most are inconsequential.  Some are major!

Let me tell you a story about a friend of mine…………….  John needed an operation on his back. A serious event.  There are 2 doctors. One is a doctor his local doctor recommends (Doctor 1). The second (Doctor 2) is a doctor recommended by another doctor who has real local knowledge to the point of saying to John he would not let Doctor 1 touch him, he has had a back operation using doctor 2 as has his wife.   Both with fabulous results with doctor 2.

Who does John choose?  And what are the results?  You guessed!  Doctor 1 with a serious outcome. Choices! Choices! Options!

Doctor 1 is very charming, a great ‘salesman’ of his skills, can fit him in conveniently!!!!  Not the best choice!

What are the choices you are making in your life?  Would it be helpful to have a second opinion? To chat it over with someone?  I have always found that so helpful in clarifying what I am thinking.  BUT…Make sure that person has your BEST interests at heart.

There are 5 steps that I find helpful in making larger choices (decisions)

1. Don’t rush. Take a deep breath.
2. Get pen & paper & make a line down the middle of the page
3. Write a list of the positives on one side and the negatives on the other
4. Make your decision on those lists.
5. When you have made your choice and gone ahead with it don’t waste your time hassling over if it was the right choice or not. It was the right choice at the time.

Always remember that in time circumstances change but that doesn’t make your choice wrong.  Hindsight is an amazing thing!!!!!

But life is made up of lots and lots of little choices, made daily and even hourly. And I think they are the choices that really ultimately make our lives.  They are the things like whether to eat a greasy hamburger, whether to be smile at the sad person, whether to not say that sharp word to a loved one when we feel annoyed!

These small choices make such a difference repeated over our lives that to me they seem to build the strongest base for a successful and happy life.

Recommended reading: The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson