Making Good Choices

We tell ourselves and others to make “good” choices, but we really don’t know whether a choice is good or bad until we see what the outcome is. You might be thinking that of course there are good and bad choices. The reality is that a decision or choice is just that. It’s a decision. It’s neither good nor bad. The outcome is what we judge and even that isn’t good or bad. The question is, will heading down this path get me closer to my desired outcome? Will sitting on the couch, binge-watching my favorite show, and ordering pizza get me my desired outcome? It might! The desired outcome might be that you want or need time to “just veg out.” On the other hand, if your desired outcome was that you wanted to land that big client, then that choice of activity isn’t likely to get you closer to your goal. Questions to consider: Is what you’re doing getting you closer to or further from what you said you wanted? What do you think will happen if you head down this path? Teaching our kids to think is wrapped into all of this. It does them no good to sit in judgement of their choices. “Make good choices” is a set up for condemnation. Teach them how to think. Explore possible outcomes with them. And the same holds true for your family, your work team members, and even yourself.  Don’t condemn a “bad” choice unless you have a full perception of all of the possible outcomes that could happen. (Children don’t have the adult perspective yet.) What outcome are you after? Will this decision/choice get you closer to or further from that? Choose - - experience - - learn - - choose again.