Easy Choices Don’t Always Get the Job Done!
by Motivational Keynote Speaker Jean Gatz
Over the past few weeks we’ve talked about Re-Thinking your choices when dealing with change if you want to STAND OUT from the crowd in a positive way. But let’s face it. Most changes, even the positive ones, usually involve inconvenience and hard work. And sometimes you don’t feel confident that you’ve made the right choices.
To succeed in today’s highly competitive environment, you must have confidence in yourself and the choices you make. The good news is that making good choices actually creates confidence! In fact, we begin teaching our children the importance of making good choices when they’re very young. “Don’t touch the stove. Don’t run out into the street. Study hard. Drive carefully.” And sometimes they even listen to us!
When our seven year old grandson saw a boy his age riding a bike without a helmet he commented, “That’s not a safe choice.” He wasn’t asking my opinion. He was stating a fact that he knew to be true. When I asked if he always wears a helmet when he rides his bike he explained, “My mom and dad’s rule is that I have to wear a helmet any time I ride something with wheels, like my bike, my scooter or my skates.” Makes sense to me.
Each time children (no matter their age) make a good decision, their confidence increases. The same thing happens to us as adults. So why don’t we make good choices 100% of the time? Unfortunately, some people make choices based on what’s easy rather than what’s smart. And as we all know, the easy choices don’t always produce the best results.
It’s easier to:
• Over-eat instead of losing weight to stay healthy;
• Sit in front of the TV for hours instead of getting some exercise;
• Blame other people instead of taking responsibility for our actions;
• Come to work and “meet standards” instead of going the extra mile to exceed expectations.
Let’s face it. EASY choices don’t always get the job done! It’s hard work to do almost anything that will add meaning and value to your life. There are lots of good choices that must be made, one after the other, to make change happen in a positive way. Your ability to re-group, learn from your mistakes, pick yourself up and continue on the right path is a big part of the process. So don’t make choices based on the work involved or what’s easy and comfortable, but rather on the impact those choices will have on your confidence level and your ability to STAND OUT in a positive way… not just today but well into the future.
Make it a STAND OUT week!
Jean
