Choices must parallel desires.
“Every action we do or don’t take is driving us closer to or further away from the person we want to become.
If the freedom of choice is a gift and we are not great stewards of our gifts, we are doing ourselves and those around us a disservice.
Choices must parallel desires.”
-Ray Zingler on Twitter
It’s really not all that hard.
We make it seem more complex than it really is because internally we have a tendency to overestimate things.
This goes for just about everything in life ranging from the “little things” to the “big things”.
If you see a quick glimpse of a coyote in the woods, you’ll have a tendency to believe it was the “biggest one you’ve ever seen” and you’ll swear it weighed “like 100 pounds!”
It may have been a larger coyote than normal, but the reason it looked so big was because of its’ plush winter coat. It likely weighed less than 50.
It was your quick reaction that led to your vast over estimation of truth.
Enough about song dogs.
Life if full of choices.
Sometimes we get to make choices in circumstances that are within our control and other times we have to make choices in regards to circumstances that are beyond our scope of control.
Regardless, we still have choices.
And the quality of our life directly correlates with the quality of our choices.
This is why I believe (realistic) goals and growth to be so simple to attain.
Define the person you want to become.
Example:
“I want to be a more committed person.”
In order to become a more committed person you must perform actions that display higher levels of commitment. (below are just examples):
1. Going to the gym.
2. Becoming more engaged in relationships.
3. Following through on obligations.
If you go to the gym, become more engaged in relationships, and follow through on obligations when you said you would, as James Clear puts it, “you’re casting votes” for the more committed person you want to become.
If you don’t do the above, you’re casting a vote against the person you want to become.
You’re essentially outwardly saying, “where I am right now is more important than where I want to go.”
While that might sting, if the opposite was true, your actions would reflect your desires.
The reason people often fail at achieving their goals and resolutions is because they set the bar too high.
Lower the bar and WIN.
It’s not about the size of the action, but the quality.
Take quality action.
That sh*t matters.
