I did something interesting yesterday. I looked back at the trail of decisions that have led me to where I am in this moment.
Some of them were big ones, like moving across the country and leaving friends and family behind. Others weren’t as spectacular, like what I had for breakfast yesterday.
The thing that struck me most was that in every moment, we make decisions that determine what our future will look like.
There is so much power in this that it’s almost paralyzing. If you had to consciously think through every moment of life, would that empower you or stop you in your tracks?
That’s where habits come in, and to some degree they are very useful. For instance, I don’t want to think about getting ready every morning to start my day. Things like brushing my teeth, getting dressed, and having breakfast are routine activities that I don’t want to fuss over constantly.
I wrote before about willpower, and how research suggests that we only have so many good decisions in us before our minds get fatigued.
Steve Jobs wore the same black turtleneck and jeans every day so he wouldn’t have to give it any thought. Well, probably not the same one – I’m sure he had a closet full of them. But the idea makes sense.
I don’t want to wear the same thing everyday, but I appreciate the sentiment. I don’t want to get wrapped up in the mundane and miss the chance to explore the unusual.
Simplify the things that aren’t important and save your brainpower for the tasks that are.
So although it isn’t good to put your entire existence on auto-pilot, by making the little things easy for yourself you can save the real decisions for the things that matter.
Become aware though that you are making decisions in each moment. Each decision made collapses reality into that path and determines the shape of the future.
Be clear on what you want, and then make the decisions that support this vision. In every moment lies the power to get one step closer to your goals.
May you make the decisions that get you there soon.