A quick revision
In this series so far we have explored the number of choices people make in a day and an anagram for CHOICE in part 1. Looked at constructing our decisions and the need for solid foundations in part 2, and in part 3 looked at a particularly tragic set of consequences around some choices.
Moving on
This post is a return to looking at the word choice and a continuation of spelling out the word. So here’s to the letter “O” , which if you have reviewed part 1, you will know refers to others/obstacles/opportunities.
Others/Obstacles/Opportunities or all three?
Other people, life’s obstacles or opportunities are often driving factors in the need to make a decision.
Other people are bring with them a whole range of opinions, beliefs, attitudes and factors which, in a whole range of ways, they offer up as building materials for constructing your decisions. Some of these will be overt and easy to see, and some won’t be, and some will be so covert you’d think they are operating like special forces soldiers!
For example have you ever said something (often saying something to your children falls into this category) only to catch yourself and think, gee I sound just like….(mum, dad, nanna etc etc).
So other people can already have had a significant influence on the foundations of your decisions. So when taking the time to reflect on a decision can you examine where the elements are coming from, and which elements are helpful or harmful, which you should keep and which you should discard?
Obstacle is a noun that refers to something that obstructs, stands in the way of or hinders progress. But isn’t this just a definition?
There is a military quip that says the easy path out is likely to have already been mined by the enemy! So is the easy path always the best one, and might that nasty looking track provide some interesting options?
Many people decide that obstacles are too hard to overcome, or are unwilling to try due to a sense of fear of something. Some people will see the proverbial mole hill as a mountain, while some will see a mountain and think that might make an interesting trip.
How do you see the obstacles that life throws up, molehills, mountains or….
Opportunities. Many people think that opportunities are grand chances that only come along every so often. Sometimes these grand chances also scare the crap out of people triggering their fear of something, so they see them as an obstacle.
Every person you talk to provides you with an opportunity. This might be an opportunity to positively influence them through the simple act of smiling at them, it might be building a new friendship or relationship with them. It might be to learn something from them through an interesting conversation, it might be on opportunity to see how they do something and learn either how to/or how not to do something.
Even life’s catastrophes present opportunities. This blog and the Samuel Morris Foundation are testiment to this, and if some upcoming posts I will provide the back story to why this post is trying to turn life’s crap into fertilizer.
The truth is opportunities are often where you least expect them, which is right under you nose, right now! Just think about all the things going on in your life right now.
ALL THREE…not too many people have ever had a life experience that did not involve dealing with others, obstacles or opportunities.
What people, obstacles or opportunities have provided the greatest influence, road blocks or chance for change in your life?