THE COST OF MY DECISION...

In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing. - Theodore Roosevelt I had a lecture for Saturday morning; traffic was relatively light so I was thankful that I got to the class five minutes past nine o’clock. The lecture was to start nine o’clock. To my surprise, the class was almost full! I got myself a seat and the notes for the previous Saturday’s lectures. I decided to make a photocopy of the notes to avoid any delays. I returned to meet closed doors. The lecturer had got in and shut the doors against latecomers like me. Painfully, I was forced to stay outside the class. I missed the lecture, ten marks for a short test, class attendance score and someone else took over my seat in the crowded classroom. Then, I began to wonder why I had to go through this 'unsweetened' experience. It dawned on me that I was already paying the price for my impulsive decision. Decisions, really, can be costly. So what is a decision? I checked Google and got this: A decision is a conclusion or resolution after consideration or a choice made between alternative courses of action in a situation of uncertainty. On the whole, a decision should be a carefully considered choice. Research has shown that an average person makes five decisions a minute, so a person makes close to 5000 decisions a day on average. We keep making decisions, from what to eat as breakfast to the kind of car to buy. This year, before you make decisions, ensure you weigh the options and the consequences involved. Never base your decision on assumptions. Assumption is said to be the lowest level of knowledge. The year is still very young and You Must Set Forth At Dawn as Professor Wole Soyinka titled his fantastic autobiography. Before you sign that contract, embark on that business, make that investment decision, adopt that strategy, say ‘yes’ to his proposal, resign your appointment, divorce your wife or propose to her, think deeply. Look before you leap…think so you don’t sink. We can’t run away from making decisions. Everyone bears the burden of decision-making, from the President in his Aso Rock Villa to the peasant in the village. The challenge we face each time is how to make an informed decision that will bring about the desired results, especially when there is no time to do a long consideration. To win with 2013, you have to master the art of constantly making winning decisions. Do some reflection. Last year, were there times you made wrong decisions? Have you ever wondered what really ‘inspired’ the wrong decisions? It’s usually said that your decision determines your destiny. For me, it makes 'excellentsense' (not commonsense) to make decisions that will help you achieve your goals faster. This is a year you must NEVER make a single regrettable decision. Our beloved President Goodluck Jonathan made a number of decisions last year that raised some dust. I call them 'dusty decisions' – one of which is changing the name of a federal university without due consultations and process in a democratic society! It caused ripples that are yet to subside. As a husband and head of a family, consider your decisions as it will affect your wife, kids and relations. As a leader, whether at home, in the office or in government, consider the cost of your decision(s). The impact of your decision as a leader has a lot of weight on the present and on posterity. A decision is either major or minor. Whether major or minor, don’t take any decision lightly. Many times, we find ourselves in the jaws of fear – afraid to decide. To overcome your fear, you need information and inspiration. Information refers to the relevant, current knowledge and data. It includes professional advice or expert opinion. You can leverage on a friend’s wealth of experience. Depending on what sort of decision it is you want to make, I recommend you do environmental scanning, aside from a desk research. When you are armed with the right information, a sense of boldness replaces the torment of fear. Secondly, you have to listen to your Maker for directions by inspiration. I’ll describe this inspiration as a light that illuminates your mind, dispels fears, saturates you with peace and instructs you on the right moves. Inspiration can deliver you from that dilemma. Inspiration is steps higher than information, because it comes from your Maker. Information only may fail you, but Inspiration comes with what I coin 'foolproof foresight'. Always remember that you are born to win and you deserve greatness. I believe you are going to make great decisions. I love you and I’d like to hear from you. Send me your mails to idgreatness1210@gmail.com or sms to 08059371461. One more thing – visit www.idgreatness.com, join the Greatness Crew and you’ll be glad you did!