Each decision leads to a new path

Every morning we wake up unknown of what lie ahead of us. All of us have different choices in front of us whenever we are at a decision making point in our lives, and we live with the consequences of those decisions for the rest of our lives. In geometry, a path is a collection of line segments between some points with each point giving a new direction to the path. Similarly, our life is a sequence of decisions taken at certain intervals of time. At each decision making point, we have choices, and these decisions give a new direction to our life. (To see how I make my decisions using a theory called The Best and Worst Case tactic)

I totally believe in the choices, decisions and consequences theory. Everybody’s life is governed by the choices we make. I don’t believe in destiny, luck or fate. Though I believe that there are somethings above our control, we can always control how we react to unknown and sudden situations or turns of life. At every point, whether we have walked there or whether it has been thrust upon us, we have to make a choice and live with the consequences.

When you have to make a choice and don’t make it, that is in itself a choice – William James

Many of us just go through life, only a few of us actually “live” it. Which route to take on way to work? Procrastinate, or get busy with that important project? Whether it is a small step as what to eat for dinner or a major step as which college to choose, we always have many choices in front of us. Few things in life are free. We reap what we sow. I find that the quality of my life improves when I ‘act‘ and give conscious thought to my choices and decisions. I feel more in control of my life, more optimistic, and I tend to make ‘better‘ choices and decisions.

Each decision could be termed as the beginning of a new path in our life. We chose a new path when we make a decision. I have made some decisions I am not proud of and I have to live with the consequences. I have no one to blame but myself for them. Similarly, there are some decisions for which I am really glad. The choices I make set the direction my life will take. Earlier, I used to blame others or luck or fate if something did not went the way I expected. But the earlier we realise the truth the better it is.

With decisions comes consequences. Good or bad experiences are basically a result of whether we got what we were expecting or not. It is important to be mature enough to take full responsibility for our actions. As we all love to take the credit for a job well done, there is no shame in accepting the blame for a mistake. I believe there are no mistakes, only lessons to be learnt from them. A “mistake” should not be treated with negativity, it is actually something good. A mistake can show you what you did wrong, and how to avoid it the next time. A mistake is only a lesson, it improves your chances of success the next time. So we must forget the mistakes, remember the lessons and move on with life.

The sooner we realise this, the sooner we will be able to make better decisions and treat each failure as a stepping stone, not as a stumbling block. Nobody has ever made all the right choices, and you will also make mistakes as you go along the path of life. But the only thing important is to make better choices each time, hope for the best, and take your lessons from any mistakes you have committed. More the mistakes you make, the more learned and experience you become. I would like to end with a popular quote from Tallulah Bankhead –

If I had my life to live again. I’d make the same mistakes, only sooner!