Decide or Be Decided For

There’s one single act every one of us is expected to take daily. It’s part of our nature as human beings to decide and choose from the countless options life places before us. Choosing is natural. It’s expected. In fact, it’s one of the proofs that we are truly alive.

At every moment of our lives here on earth, we decide on something. You make a choice.

Sometimes it feels overwhelming, yet you must still decide anyway. You may try to delay or avoid it for a while for obvious reasons, but even then, a choice has already been made though unintentionally. Avoidance itself is a decision.

Every day, we are faced with decisions, no matter how trivial they may seem. From the moment you wake up, you decide whether to check your phone or head straight to the washroom. Whether to wear long sleeves or short sleeves. Whether to eat breakfast or skip it.

These choices look small and insignificant, but collectively they shape who we are and who we eventually become. The compound effect of these little decisions on our lives cannot be overlooked.

Another thing we must understand is that decisions are intertwined with time. As the saying goes, “time waits for no man.” When you drag your feet and delay making decisions, you are indirectly wasting your life because you are wasting time.

If you observe closely, there’s a kind of duality in almost everything on earth: yes or no, for or against, positive or negative. There’s hardly anything neutral when it comes to decision-making. You must pick a side. Standing in the middle is dangerous; like standing in a two-way traffic. You’ll eventually get hit from one direction or the other.

Yes, it’s valid to feel overwhelmed sometimes. But time will not pause for you to feel ready.

I often tell my friends: "don’t worry about not making a decision because someone else will decide for you". What we mostly ignore is this: indecision is also a decision.

As uncomfortable or unsure as you may feel, you’ll still have to choose.

Personally, I believe it’s better to make a wrong decision and learn from the consequences than to live with the consequences of a decision someone else made for you simply because you were afraid, overwhelmed, or unsure.

Whether it’s accepting a marriage proposal, taking a job, relocating to a new city, or staying where you are; you may not always feel fully ready or certain. But you must decide anyway. And the more you practice making decisions, the more confident you become.

Sadly, many of us are too afraid of making the wrong choice, so we end up not deciding at all; which, again, is still a decision.

The truth is, we are all living for the first time. Mistakes are inevitable. Wrong choices will happen. Only time reveals whether a decision was right or wrong. The good news is that decision-making is a skill we can improve.

One powerful way to improve is through knowledge. Talk to people who have already walked the road you’re about to take. Learn from those who have faced similar fears and uncertainties. Their experiences carry wisdom; lessons about what works and what doesn’t.

Many of them have even compressed years of gains, losses, falls, and rises into books for us to learn from within a few pages. Unfortunately, many of us don’t read.

We must also learn from our own past mistakes. It’s okay to get it wrong the first or second time, maybe even the third. But what truly matters is reflection. Examine your past decisions. Let yesterday teach you how to approach tomorrow. The past should guide you, not paralyze you.

As a believer, I would also encourage you to invite God into your decisions. Some choices demand divine guidance. Some decisions can make you or unmake you. Human advice is helpful, but it is limited. Not every counsel is right for you. That’s why we must seek wisdom from Someone higher than us.

Ultimately, we must embrace the art of decision-making; being deliberate and taking responsibility for the outcomes.

God has given each of us the willpower to choose for our lives. Don’t leave your destiny in the hands of others. Decision-making comes with accountability, and you cannot truly account for what you never chose.

 “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.” Deuteronomy 30:19 (NIV)

I hope this write-up blesses you and causes a small shift in your mindset.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to share or leave a comment.