There are times in our lives where we come to the cross roads and stop, trying to figure out the next move. In this kind of situation we mostly take the easy recourse to ask for advice or may be rely on the gut feel. It needs to be remembered during any choices that we make for our lives are actually going to directly affect our lives and thus relying on other advice or gut feel might not lead to a positive result.It is important to remember the following equation:
∑
Past Choices + Present Choices =
Future + e
where "e" is external factors which will affect your life.
Thus if you may understand that it is important to get your choices right. It also needs to be noted here that we do not have any control on our past choices which we have made and thus it is important that we take the right present choices which would actually make the future. It would also be true that due to certain past choices which you may have made, you might not be able to take some of your present choices and thus its a summation of the past and present. Thus choices and that too right one is important.
At this kind of situation, it is important to search for the "WHY". In most of our lives we are very confident about our "WHAT" and the "HOW" but most of the times we ignore the "WHY". I was once having a discussion with one of my clients , and I asked what is the reason you are doing this particular job/work. I got the answer that it was because of money. Then I asked why would you like to earn money. The answer was prompt "better life for me and my family". But I was kind of irritating and asked why would you want to give a better life for yourself and your family. The answer was again very straight "they are my biggest priority". I asked if they are your biggest priority then why would be they your biggest priority. I got a very irritated answer "why just can't you get it, because i love them". I exclaimed and said "wow, you love them and its love which is important then where is money coming here". All you may know they just want you home by evening and not working till midnight and they might not get to talk to you or even see you for that matter, do they really want your money or you.
Its very important to get to the "WHY". Deep , deep within the answers lies of purpose. The purpose of everything we do. Most of the times we get confused with the what (money, vacation, house, and etc) and the how (work, business, savings...) but then we never get to the why we are doing what we are doing. The "WHY" should become the core of all the decisions we take in life and once we realize the "WHY", making choices becomes so much easier. The only person who can actually discover the why is us, ourselves. Its not about what we do and how we do but its all about why we do.
Find a purpose, find a reason, get your "WHY".
Note: Choice equation courtesy Prof Manish Singhal, XLRI
