“You can either walk up the stairs or I’ll carry you; it’s your choice.”
I remember hearing my sister say that to one of her children several years ago. It was time for bed and my niece, like any reasonable child would do, was protesting. Brilliant, right? Think about it. In the end, her daughter was still going to bed. However, by giving her the choice (both with the same outcome in then end), my niece felt empowered.
You Always Have A Choice
Of course, this got me thinking. I posted the following “reminder” on Twitter this morning (Fellow Blue Sky Factory co-worker, Melanie Sims, replied, “I choose awesomeness!” … which made me smile):
Ok. I realize that you don’t always have a choice. I’m sure there are situations where their are no options, but for the most part, I’d argue that life is all about choices. Some are simple and likely don’t matter either way: “Do I wear the white shirt or the blue one?” Others are more complex and can have significant outcomes: “Do I reply publicly to that negative comment on our blog or take it offline?” or “Should I accept job offer A or is B better?”
Sometimes you will make the “wrong” choice; other times it will be “right”, but you still have a choice. As my mom always tells me, whatever you choose, you have to live with the consequences.
What are your thoughts about choice? Do you agree that you always have a choice? How do you know which choice is the right one?
DJ Waldow
@djwaldow
