Master the technique of choosing wisely

Master the technique of choosing wisely

To be successful in life you do not need right breaks, wealth or connections. You just need to make the right decision at the right time. Constantly. You are what your choices are.

We are a privileged lot, gifted with choice of action. No other species has this ability. A lion cannot say it is tired of hunting for prey and eat grass. A cow cannot opt for chicken because it is bored of eating hay. But you have a wide range of choices before you. Do you choose correctly is the question. Do you choose jalebi or spinach? Are you patient or do you vent your anger? Through these choices you sculpt your future. Most times you are lured by instant pleasure, setting yourself up for sorrow later. That which is painful in the beginning gives everlasting happiness. This is the law of life.

To help us make the right choice we are also gifted with the intellect. But most of us neither use our existing intellect nor develop it. We choose with a poorly developed intellect. And meet with disastrous consequences. Think of one bad choice you made. What drove you to make the choice? Mere impulse, or like. Think of one good choice you made. The intellect helped you decide. You thought over it, weighed the pros and cons and arrived at a decision. When the intellect is not developed, as in children, choice is denied to protect them from the consequences of bad choices. There is a minimum age for driving and drinking alcohol. But what do you do when adults act on whims and fancies of the mind and not the sane counsel of the intellect?

Why do you make wrong choices? You act on a fancy, like impulse buying. Or just do what you like. You prefer lazing to exercising. It could spring from peer pressure. You drink or take drugs because your friends do so. Or you could be driven by herd mentality. Everyone is going the materialistic way so you follow suit. It could be a strong desire which holds the intellect hostage and does not allow it to think beyond what the mind desires. You want to buy a particular car even though you cannot afford it. The mind forces the intellect to justify the wrong decision.

The way out is to pause, think, consult your intellect and choose. Initially, it may seem arduous, but it becomes effortless with practice. In important decisions, take time to decide. Consult a clear thinker. In ancient India, kings had in-house sages whose advice was sought on important matters. This protected them from taking rash, arrogant decisions. Take your emotions into consideration. If you feel like going on a vacation, give it due consideration and fulfil the desire if the intellect approves of it.

The best choice is based on values. Choose the higher against the lower, the permanent over ephemeral, worldly joys. Opt for Spirit over matter. With a strong intellect you make smart choices and become successful. Value-based decisions make you happy. And when you choose Spirit, you evolve spiritually.