Summary
The narrator of this article avoided making early decisions in life because of his fear of failure. The decisions that he had made were not very fulfilling. He claims his life is like an enormous menu that does not offer a sampler plate. He says he cannot make an order of fear, saying that his stomach might be filled and never get a chance of tasting other things on the menu. He therefore prefers side orders that are never satisfying.
However, the narrator affirms that he has learned the trick, which is to make assured choices that are varied but sufficient to fulfill his desires in life. He points that there is no adequate time in one’s life to experience even a fraction of all the incidences on the Earth, hence the need to make decisions on time. According to him, there is a need to make few choices on the menu that he can really enjoy and commit to so that when he passes on, he will have lived a fulfilled life.
Essay
Just like a hotel menu that has different delicacies listed, some expensive and some quite affordable, life offers things that we may or may not afford. However, the kind of life one leads largely depends on the decisions one makes. Some live unfulfilled lives because they make mistakes in their decisions or they live a life that is not theirs. It is important for an individual to live his or her life. We are the sole makers or breakers of our lives.
Therefore, when we are making decisions pertaining to our life, sobriety is a virtue of great essence. This is because one wrong decision made may have long term undesirable effects on one’s life and worst still could cost one his or her life. Any decision we make shapes our life because we consciously or unconsciously follow it.
For instance, a frustrated jobless father who cannot cater for his family may decide to seek solace in alcoholism. Such a decision could frustrate him even more because the person may not have logically analyzed the negative and positive aspects associated with that choice. In order to make a precise decision of what is important in one’s life is an explicit process that has various steps to be followed.
First and foremost, we must realize the power that decisions wield in our lives. One decision made elicits a chain of actions. When one decides to drink a bottle of beer, the decision may lead to the person taking another and before one realizes he or she has become an alcoholic.
Therefore the first decision will always be critical and determines the expected outcomes in a person’s life. The next step is setting your priorities right. We should start from the most basic needs all the way to basic wants. For instance, when one is faced with a dilemma of either pursuing a master’s degree or buying a car, such a tight spot calls for rational decision making. Based on facts, one should be able to decide what is more important. If the focus is on building a career for oneself, the best option should be furthering education.
Another important step involves timely decision making. Many a time we consume too many resources before making a conclusive decision simply because we are uncertain and fear what may happen afterwards. We therefore end up in a rigorous exercise of evaluating pros and cons, cautious planning and extensive consultation. This course of action consumes a lot of time and in the end we may never make the decision or it maybe too late.
One should learn to follow the gut instinct when making a decision. This will most likely make one to have confidence in the decision making process compared to a person who dwells all day planning to make a decision. Moreover, one should learn from his/her past experience. It is worth noting that sometimes mistakes are inevitable when making a decision however, instead of cursing oneself it is important to learn from the mistake. So that in future you can make proper and sound decisions free of mistakes.
Also in determining what is important in our menu of life, one should have a flexible approach. For example, if one decides to acquire a house for the family, it is good to decide which option is the best. One may decide to either engage construction workers to build it or buy a ready one by mortgage.
More important is that one should be objective when making a decision. For example, in choosing a career to pursue one should decide what course to undertake in college, based on one’s ability and aspirations. One ought to avoid extrinsic influences that may derail him or her from achieving one’s ambitions in life. These influences include pressure from parents to pursue a course that one does not desire.
The choice one makes should be influenced by one’s decision. It would be irrational to make a choice without deciding what you want. For instance, people end up losing lots of money through impulse buying simply because they never planned on what they wanted to buy. Some people also end up in miserable relationships or marriages due to the fact that they never took time to choose their life partners. In addition, it is advisable to make some savings for a rainy day.
Life is not always smooth; it has ups and downs. Bottom line is, if one is to live a fulfilled life, critical and timely decision making should influence the choices that one makes in life. It is also important to make certain choices that one is capable of fulfilling rather many choices that one cannot commit to. The prime factor is to always follow your instincts and listening to your heart when making key decisions in life.