Power Talk December – by Mark Gaylard

The choices you make everyday are what shape your destiny. If you want proof of that, look back on some of the choices you have made in the past, and here is where it got you. The Power of Choice, or for that matter the Power of Decision, can sometimes be the most difficult part of any equation. 

 

We have all uttered the phrases “I can’t decide” or “I just don’t know what to do.” More often than not, failing to decide has greater consequences than making a difficult choice ever will. For a choice or a decision to be real it has to be acted upon and, more importantly, it has to be lasting and consistent. If you choose to quit smoking, and then return to your old habit, weeks, months or years later, you haven’t truly decided. The Power of Choice, like goal setting, creates the blueprint for the future in advance. Knowing how to use the Power of Decision is the fundamental quality for leadership. 

 

In our lives, change is automatic. Progress is not. Progress is driven by choice and decision. I have always said that change can happen in an instant. But for that change to be lasting and consistent you have to take action every day. In some cases you need a massive action plan to validate your decisions. 

To make choices that are going to serve you, you must first understand the driving forces behind them. 

There are four major forces that determine how we make every decision in our life. The first two are Inspiration vs. Desperation. The second two are Pain vs. Pleasure. 

In my seminar Life Mastery Live, I examine these four principals in detail. Inspiration is pretty self-explanatory. We make choices based on events that have moved us or resonated with us to our core. For example, if you are overweight and meet someone who has been overweight like you, lost it, and managed to keep it off; meeting such a person would no doubt inspire you to change. 

Keep in mind that success leaves clues. All the information you need is out there. Model yourself after people who have already achieved what it is you want to do. The opposite of inspiration is desperation, when you find yourself in a place where you need to make a choice to survive. Pain vs. Pleasure is the most common driving force behind the choices we make on a daily basis. Our need to gain pleasure and avoid pain is the leverage that fuels our decision. Poor choices can often lead to pain and desperation which, in turn, leads to repeating the process all over again. 

The power of choice and decision will be with you until the day you die. I suggest you choose wisely and reflect on the driving forces behind your choices. 

Remember, change can happen in an instant. 

Until next time, live strong and always live with passion.