INDECISION IS DECISION

“The risk of a wrong decision is preferable to the terror of indecision.” - Maimonides (1135-1204)

DECISIONS form a strong basis in every person’s life. Our lives follow the paths charted by the decisions we make. Our decisions determine our actions and our actions carve the outcome of our lives. Every moment of life is a moment of decision. There are decisions we make consciously and those we make unconsciously. And for every single decision we make, there are consequences.

It is thus critical that we take charge of the decisions of our lives. We must be deliberate about our decisions. We must take responsibility for our decisions. We must be alive to the consequences of the decisions we make.

DECISION
DECISION is a choice made out of possible or alternative courses of action. This implies that there are always options in life. In life you never run out of options. Usually, when people say “there is no option,” they actually mean the other option is a tough one and they are unable or unwilling to bear the risks and consequences that reside in pursuing that path.

Every decision has risks. Risk is the probability that the decision you make may not lead to the desired or expected outcome. It is the price you are likely to pay for your decision. Many people shy away from making decisions when they realise that the risk is high.

Another thing to note about decisions is that they have consequences. So consider your life as the outcome of past decisions. Decisions you made by yourself and those made by other people on your behalf. Your future will be constructed by the decisions you are making today. Your legacy after you are dead will be a reflection of the decisions you are making today. Hear Tony Robbins, “It is in the moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.”

INDECISION
IF YOU hesitate to make any kind of decision, you suffer from the cancer of indecision. People use indecision as a tool to recuse themselves of the responsibility to make decisions. I hope you are not one of those people. I hereby bring to your notice that indecision is one option in decision-making. That means there are consequences for indecision. There is a price for indecision. And I have noticed that the price is mostly higher than the price you pay for your decisions. Hence the thought of Spanish philosopher Maimonides (1135-1204) that “The risk of a wrong decision is preferable to the terror of indecision.” Trust me, indecision is a notorious terrorist.

If you refuse to take charge of your decisions, you lose control of your life. You relinquish your destiny to forces outside your realm. It’s easier to be indecisive than make decisions. But it is easier to live with the consequences of your decisions than your indecisions. You know why? George Canning says “Indecision and delays are the parents of failure.” Thus if you want to avoid misery in your life, you have to learn how to make decisions that give you success, significance and substance.

© 2011 Terry Mante
PEDNET
Accra, Ghana