It’s the small decisions that seem to need the less time to make. Easy, feel good, available, and satisfying, with no critical thinking needed…or so they seem. How much damage can the little things we do really cause, especially over time? Perhaps it’s not in the decisions made that defines whether they are beneficial or hindering. It is more likely in the habits that these decisions create, habits that live in the blindspot of our lives.
No, it’s not the end of the world if we decide to engage in a season of our favorite reality tv show or sitcom. It’s not the end, if we decide to make it to every popular hangout for a couple of hours. I mean, what can 30 minutes here and a few hours there do to hinder our progress? Actually, alot. But because such small fragments of time only take up just that — small fragments of time –, only one who has learned the value of time, will see the significant difference they make.
Until we stretch our minds and develop the ability to consider more of a timeframe than just today or just this moment, when deciding on even the smallest opportunities, our decision-making will continue to leave us stagnant in progress. Too often, we look back and wish we would’ve done this or could’ve done that. Hindsight continues to take too much credit in our lives. It’s not because we decide to take a moment to do some of the things we do, it’s the habits created over time in doing so. Five seasons of a tv show means five years. It means time. Couch time for five years; watching someone else get paid. And unfortunately, it is after these five years, one is likely to find themselves in the same place, if not further behind.
The least time we use to consider spending the money we spend, even with the smallest amount, the least likely we will ever see a favorable financial return in our future. It takes very little time to decide on shopping, partying, eating extravagantly, among other momentary adrenaline pushers. These are decisions that are almost always easy to make. No, it’s not the end of the world when we do engage and the danger is not in the actual event of doing so. The danger is found, however, in the habits that these actions often and likely create over time, habits of doing the same again and again. Hence, they will prove to be some of the greater hindrances in our lives.
The small decisions that seem to have little to no impact at the moment are the decisions that, unbeknownst to many of us, keep us bound and leave us with the inability to break generational brokenness. Yes, the self-serving phrase, YOLO – you only live once – is true, but even more important than that, this life is never only about you. This life is meant for every one of us to leave something beneficial behind for others. But until we recognize the impact that even the smallest decisions we make today have on our own future, we will never reach a place where those same decisions can make a profound difference for anyone else.
Are you making any decisions today that will brighten your future in ten, five, or even two years? A question that really does matter.
Regards,
Tawana
Author: Life Fulfilled, The Ultimate Goal
