Yesterday I conducted an exercise that lead to a very simple epiphany. I listed the top five decisions I have ever made in my life and noticed that all five were laid out in chronological order—the oldest being the most important.
As I sat and thought, the inherent logic became apparent to me. A path is a linear set of choices along a network of roads. The obstacle that you are confronted with now would not have necessarily been there if it wasn’t for the choice you made earlier. Therefore, the earlier the decision the larger the bearing on the situation at hand. Time rules in importance.
I’m very happy to find that my psyche is relatively in line with reality. I say relatively because I chose five “big decisions”, yet I am certain that the biggest decision I may have made in my life may have been something as seemingly insignificant as what I had for breakfast one morning.
It saddens me to think that I may never again make decisions as important as the ones I had when I was younger. And it confuses me that life is set up in such a way that the most important decisions are consistently made by those the least educated on the situation at hand.
While the decisions you made when you were younger were most definitely significant, life's just beginning. Maybe future decisions will not be as important. Maybe some will. Perhaps some will be more important given the frame of mind you're in and/or the situtation in that time frame.
ReplyDeleteBut you're right. We aren't quite as knowledgeable with some of the bigger decisions we make when we are younger (what sports to do, what friends to make, what high school or college to go to; decisions vary on the person obviously).
Not sure where this train of thought was heading, but in the end don't despair. The decisions you make in the future may not be as at the magnitude compared to those made in your youth, but think of it instead that you are more experienced. Your decisions may be difficult ones, but your experience makes the choice not as impactful as those made when you were younger.
Just my $0.02.
Enjoy your day!
-Anon